Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday urged EU leaders to continue funding kyiv’s fight with almost $80 billion more next year, while insisting he was defending his country amid a new dispute with US President Donald Trump. kyiv’s ties with Trump have plummeted after the US leader eased sanctions on Russia as part of a deal to supply diesel. Trump called kyiv’s actions a “disgrace” and said Russian President Vladimir Putin was easier to deal with than Zelensky, after the Ukrainian leader ordered his forces to resume attacks on Russian refineries. Read moreWhy have relations between the United States and Ukraine deteriorated ahead of the midterm elections? “I exclusively defend the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky told reporters after talks with EU leaders in Brussels. Asked if he was being made a scapegoat for Trump’s domestic problems ahead of the US midterm elections, Zelensky just smiled. “This is my answer,” he said, after a long and embarrassing pause. The latest rift between Trump and Zelensky has fueled fears that the American leader is siding with Moscow. Those concerns have been compounded by disruptions to a critical U.S.-provided satellite system that has hampered Ukraine’s ability to counter Russia’s intense bombing. Ukraine uses Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s Starshield system for battlefield communications, medium-range strikes into Russian-occupied territory, and interceptor drones. It also uses SpaceX’s Starlink parallel civil satellite system, but not for offensive operations. Tech billionaire Musk – although a virulent critic of Zelensky – said his company was not behind the outage, and a US official denied any intervention by Trump. Starlink has been restored but Ukraine’s fate is still uncertain. To display this YouTube content, you must enable ad tracking and audience measurement. OK Manage my options One of your browser extensions appears to be blocking the video player from loading. To view this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again Top image: A military man puts out a burning car that was hit by a Russian FPV drone, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, October 14, 2026. © Reuters “Has the speed been completely restored to what it was before? No. Is the speed being restored now? Yes,” Zelensky said. In his speech to EU leaders, Zelensky said he believed most Americans supported Ukraine’s fight against Moscow’s invasion. “At the end of the day, the American people will have a voice,” he said. The question of 70 billion euros While fighting with Trump, European leaders make a show of unity with Zelensky. “This is not the time to withdraw support for Ukraine. It is not the time to ease Russia’s sanctions,” said European Council chief Antonio Costa. “Now is the time to increase our support, to increase our pressure.” Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten said that “the situation in Ukraine is currently really serious, with numerous Russian attacks and a tense relationship between Ukraine and the United States.” “It is crucial that we, as Europe, show them our unconditional support today and explore what additional measures we can take,” he said. ‘We’re done’: Ukraine resumes attacks on Russian oil refineries as ‘only lever’ for peace talks To display this YouTube content, you must enable ad tracking and audience measurement. OK Manage my options One of your browser extensions appears to be blocking the video player from loading. To view this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again Cover image: © France 24 But EU leaders will need to find more than just words to keep Ukraine going. Zelensky called on the bloc to provide more Patriot missiles to shoot down Russian missiles and to provide an additional 70 billion euros ($79 billion) in support next year to help kyiv keep fighting. “This is a realistic amount. And I ask you to find this support. It will help us stop Russia.” EU chief Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the €70 billion figure “has to be covered” and urged partner countries to “step in” and help. The leaders asked their commission to present a financing proposal. French President Emmanuel Macron said kyiv supporters will look into the demand, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the EU will discuss it before the end of the year. Macron also said Europe was “working hard to help Ukraine strengthen its ability to defend itself through much-needed satellite imagery and early warning systems.” Frozen assets The EU is currently paying installments on a €90bn loan to kyiv that was to help cover financing until the end of 2027. But Ukrainian authorities have warned they will continue to face a major budgetary black hole as Russian attacks have hit the country’s economy. Talks about new financing have revived calls for the European Union to use around €200 billion in frozen Russian central bank assets to finance Ukraine. “The frozen assets are there. That is what should be used to support Ukraine,” said Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs. But there appears to be little momentum on that front, as Belgium, where most of the funds are based, remains opposed. (FRANCE 24 with AFP)