As senior European Union officials arrived in Kyiv to express their unflinching support for Ukraine's war effort, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a new budget with a record military spending. More than $145 billion of the 2025 budget will go to national defense, a nearly one-third share that's a jump from 28.3% in the current budget, a government website shows. The blueprint was first approved by lawmakers, Politico Europe reports. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has taxed the resources of both nations, per the AP, and the EU reassured its ally Sunday on funding help.
At a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the European Council president affirmed fresh EU pledges of $4.4 billion for the nation's budget and $1.6 billion in monthly aid to come from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets. Asked if the EU would increase funding if President-elect Trump were to withdraw US aid, Antonio Costa said the bloc will "stand for Ukraine as long as necessary." Zelensky urged President Biden to lobby for Ukraine's membership in NATO in his administration's last months. (More Russia-Ukraine war stories.)
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