Costa pledges EU support to Zelensky as Trump renews criticism

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared alongside two senior EU officials in Brussels on Friday as European Council President António Costa pledged continued support for Ukraine. The public show of backing came as US President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities. [3] [2]

At a joint appearance with Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Costa said EU support for Ukraine “remains as strong as ever”. He called for greater pressure on Russia to accept a ceasefire. EU leaders were due to discuss further support, including the needs of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure ahead of winter; Costa’s remarks did not announce a new sanctions package. [3] [5]

In a Newsmax interview, Trump said: “I find Zelensky to be more difficult to deal with than Putin.” He called strikes on Russian refineries “a disgrace” and blamed them for raising world oil prices. Those were Trump’s judgments, not findings about Zelensky’s willingness to negotiate or the effect of the strikes on prices. [2]

Ukraine struck a refinery in Russia’s Ryazan region on Thursday, according to Russian authorities and a Ukrainian official cited by the Associated Press. Zelensky said Ukraine had paused attacks on energy targets at Trump’s request but that Russia had continued its own strikes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov disputed Ukraine’s account, saying Kyiv had never stopped attacking refineries. [4] [1]

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described a difference in approach between Europe and Washington. “We see that we have to pressure the aggressor to stop the war, not the victim to surrender,” she told reporters. [4]