IQN (NewsDesk): Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his country has every right to defend itself, as European leaders rallied behind him at an EU summit in Brussels following sharp criticism from US President Donald Trump.
Trump called Ukraine’s latest strikes on Russian oil refineries a disgrace and said Zelensky was more difficult to work with than Vladimir Putin. Speaking in Brussels, Zelensky said Ukraine had been attacked, occupied and had lost people, so it was only logical that it could defend itself, adding that he was acting solely in Ukraine’s interests. He said Kyiv had not been informed about the US deal to buy Russian diesel, which came as a surprise, and warned that a gas deal could follow.
In an interview with Euronews, Zelensky said it was still easier for him to deal with Trump than with Putin. He accused the Russian leader of having no real interest in negotiations, describing Moscow’s rhetoric as a parody of a genuine desire to end the war.
Zelensky told the European Council the war would cost Ukraine 155 billion euros next year, with at least 70 billion needed from the EU for defence and weapons. He said Ukraine could triple its drone production but lacks the money to do so.
