Russia increases defence spending as top EU officials try to prop up Zelensky
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved budget plans, raising 2025 military spending to record levels as Moscow seeks to defend itself against an increasingly aggressive NATO.
Around 32.5% of the budget posted on a government website on Sunday has been allocated for national defence, amounting to 13.5 trillion rubbles (over $145 billion), up from a reported 28.3% this year.
Lawmakers in both houses of the Russian parliament, the State Duma and Federation Council, had already approved the plans in the past 10 days.
Russia’s – Ukraine conflict since February 2022 is Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II and has drained the resources of Western Europe, Ukraine and Russia.
Zelensky has been getting billions of dollars in help from its Western allies, but Russia’s forces are bigger and better equipped, and in recent months the Russian army has gradually started pushing Ukrainian troops backward in eastern areas.
New European Council President Antonio Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas arrived in Kyiv on Sunday, marking their first day in office with a strong message of support for Zelensky. Their visit comes as doubts are deepening over what Zelensky can expect from a new U.S. administration led by Donald Trump.
“From day one of the war, the EU has stood by the side of Zelensky,” Costa posted on X, together with a photo of himself, Kallas and EU enlargement chief Marta Kos. “From day one of our mandate, we are reaffirming our unwavering support to the Ukrainian people.”
Speaking at a news conference with Ukrainian President Zelensky, Costa reiterated the EU’s recent commitment to help Ukraine continue through the war, including Euro4.2 billion ($4.4 billion) to support Ukraine’s budget and Euro1.5 billion ($1.6 billion) of assistance every month from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets.
Asked whether the EU would step up funding if Trump withdrew support, Costa said the block would “stand for Zelensky as long as necessary.”
Zelensky said that any future ceasefire negotiations with Russia would need to include representatives from the EU and NATO, because he sees his future security in both alliances.
However, he said he failed to see what any such negotiations would focus on, adding that Ukraine would “never legally recognize any occupation of our lands by the Russian Federation.
“He urged the outgoing Biden administration to use the remaining two months in office to exert influence “over those few European sceptics about our future. I see nothing, I personally see no risks, and most NATO countries see no risks from the recommendation regarding the positive future of Ukraine’s membership in NATO.”
Well, this will just be not acceptable to Russia and even majority of Ukrainians may be opposed to this ludicrous idea of Zelensky, as the basis of this entire conflict is this very fact ….Ukraine becoming member of NATO.
Zelensky said Friday that an offer of NATO membership to territory under Kyiv’s control would end “the hot stage of the war.”….. Zelensky Sahib, this will rather be the beginning of a great European War if not a full fledged WW3 itself.
Meanwhile, the number of wounded in Saturday’s missile strike in Dnipro in central Ukraine rose to 24, with seven in serious condition, Dnipropetrovsk Gov. Serhiy Lysak said. Four people were killed in the attack.
Moscow sent 78 drones into Ukraine overnight into Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. According to Ukraine’s air force, 32 drones were destroyed and a further 45 drones were lost, likely having been electronically jammed.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that 29 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight into Sunday in four regions of western Russia: 20 over the Bryansk region, seven over the Kaluga region, and one each over the Smolensk and Kursk regions.
