Zelenskyy asks EU leaders for extra $79bn to fight Russia next year

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the leaders of European Union (EU) member states for an extra $79bn to help Ukraine fight Russia next year. The request was reported on 16 October by the international news outlet Al Jazeera.

According to the outlet, EU leaders have rallied in support of Ukraine at a time when there is a standoff with US President Donald Trump. The source text available does not explain the nature of that standoff, and it does not say whether EU countries have agreed to a specific amount or to how the money would be provided.

The sum Zelenskyy requested shows how much funding Kyiv considers necessary for the war effort in the coming year. Decisions on whether and to what extent the EU will meet the request are yet to come.