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Briefings · Friday, October 16, 2026 · 💼 5 PM
💼 5 PM · While you worked

Zelenskyy asks EU leaders for about 70 billion euros more next year

At the second day of an EU summit in Brussels on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked for about 70 billion euros in extra support for next year, saying the war will cost 155 billion euros in 2027. Leaders made no firm commitment but asked the European Commission to present options to close the funding gap. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed the estimate but said the EU would not cover it alone.

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How each side sees it

Zelenskyy saysThe money is 'realistic' and will help 'hold Russia back'; he says Vladimir Putin does not want peace talks 'in any form' and that the U.S.-Russia diesel deal puts more money in Putin's pocket.
President Trump saysZelenskyy is 'more difficult to deal with' than Putin and 'doesn't want to settle' the war; he called Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries a 'disgrace,' saying they raise world oil prices.

Sources

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Published Friday, October 16, 2026. Spot an error? Email [email protected]. See our corrections log and standards.

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