Brussels reaffirms ‘unconditional’ support for Zelensky amid tensions with Washington

Leaders of the European Union (E.U.) welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with promises of "unconditional" support at a time when his relationship with the Trump administration has visibly deteriorated.

E.U. insists on not withdrawing support for Ukraine

European Council President António Costa stated that "this is no time to withdraw the support to Ukraine" or to ease sanctions against Russia.

The Ukrainian president expressed his gratitude to the European leaders, whom he described as "real leaders," while emphasizing that there are no signs that Moscow is willing "to end this war."

Similarly, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten warned that "the situation in Ukraine is currently truly dire," due to numerous Russian attacks and the deterioration of relations with the United States. "It is crucial that we, as Europe, demonstrate our unconditional support for them today—and explore what additional steps we can take," he said.

Trump demands a way out, not endless war

Tensions escalated after Washington eased sanctions on Moscow in exchange for Russian diesel supplies—a deal that Zelensky called "unworthy" and which, in his view, will only encourage Russia to prolong the war. Shortly thereafter, Kyiv resumed attacks on Russian refineries, ignoring Trump's request to maintain an energy truce.

In an interview with Newsmax, Trump called the attacks on the refineries "a disgrace" because they drive up the price of diesel that the United States and the rest of the world need, and he stated that "Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with."

The White House is seeking to lower energy prices ahead of the midterms, but is also pressuring Kiev to negotiate. The Kremlin is accusing Ukraine of hindering peace efforts by attacking Russian energy infrastructure.

Europe makes promises, but with what money?

The EU-27 will discuss how to strengthen Ukraine's air defense and finance the country through 2027. The EU already has a 90 billion euro (about $101 billion) loan program, but Kiev warns that it will need tens of billions more following the damage caused by Russian attacks.

"We have to prepare for the winter. … It's not only energy—it's also m air defense and funding," Zelensky said.

Some leaders are once again calling for the use of the nearly 200 billion euros (roughly $225 billion) in frozen Russian assets, most of which are held in Belgium. But the Belgian opposition and the risk of legal retaliation are keeping the idea on hold.