EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on December 13 urged the bloc's 27 leaders to back massive financial aid for Ukraine and Kyiv's ambitions for membership talks, ahead of a crunch summit. "We must give Ukraine what it needs to be strong today. So it can be stronger tomorrow at the table when it is negotiating a long-lasting and just peace," she told MEPs. EU leaders will meet in Brussels on December 14. They face a major challenge overcoming opposition from Hungary -- Russia's closest ally in the bloc -- to fresh support for Kyiv almost two years after Russia's all-out invasion.
EU Must Give Ukraine What It Needs To Be 'Strong': Von Der Leyen
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on December 13.