During a summit in Brussels on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky formally requested that European Union leaders provide an additional 70 billion euros (approximately $79 billion) to support Ukraine's ongoing defense against Russia. Zelensky emphasized that this funding is essential for maintaining the country's military capabilities, weapons procurement, and overall national resilience.

In his address to the EU, Zelensky characterized the request as a "realistic amount" necessary to effectively counter Russian forces. He projected that the total financial requirement for Ukraine's war effort in the coming year will reach 155 billion euros. The request comes as Ukraine seeks to secure long-term financial commitments from its Western allies to ensure the stability of its front lines and domestic infrastructure.

While the request highlights the scale of the financial burden Ukraine faces, the report does not detail the immediate response from EU leaders or specify how the requested funds would be distributed among member states. The request underscores the ongoing reliance of the Ukrainian government on international financial assistance to sustain its defense operations as the conflict enters its next phase.