Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:20am on 19 Dec 2025,Friday International
European Union leaders have reached a €90 billion interest‑free loan agreement to support Ukraine’s military and economic needs for 2026–27, after intense talks at a Brussels summit. The loan, backed by joint EU borrowing rather than frozen Russian assets, follows disagreements over legal and political risks tied to using immobilized Russian central bank funds. Belgium’s opposition played a key role in shelving the asset‑backed plan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had urged tapping those assets, calling it morally justified. The deal excludes Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic from contributing and keeps pressure on the EU to find further support mechanisms. (PC: Getty Images)
