EU summit: European leaders pledge support for Ukraine's Zelenskyy

European leaders pledged continued support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his country during a turbulent week of increased Russian attacks at the EU summit in Brussels on Friday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa called on allies to maintain their backing for Kyiv, emphasizing that it is not the right time to withdraw support or relieve Russia's sanctions.

Von der Leyen firmly stated that sanctions would only be lifted if Russia stops the war. The EU leaders' remarks followed US President Donald Trump's unilateral decision to lift sanctions on Russian oil exports and purchase diesel from Russian tankers. This move came after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and followed Trump's calls for Zelenskyy to be replaced as the Ukrainian leader and criticism of Kyiv's targeting of Russian energy infrastructure.

Zelenskyy expressed the desire to end the war as soon as possible and called for preparations to be made for the winter, noting that the package includes energy, air defense, and funding. Trump's calls for Zelenskyy to step down stemmed from his belief that the Ukrainian leader did not want to end the war and his desire to divert attention from the US war in Iran, which had caused a surge in global oil and gas prices.