EU leaders back Zelenskiy after Trump calls Ukraine refinery strikes a 'disgrace'

European Union leaders rallied around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a Brussels summit on Friday after US President Donald Trump called Ukraine's strikes on Russian refineries a "disgrace," escalating tensions over the war's direction. Trump, facing US midterm elections in November, has blamed Ukrainian attacks on refineries for raising global energy prices and announced an energy ceasefire deal that Ukraine has since abandoned. The EU is hosting Zelenskiy amid fears the US could reduce intelligence sharing and weapons support, with Russian drone strikes killing three in Kharkiv and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. European leaders discussed new financial aid, with Estonia's prime minister suggesting a fresh EU loan to cover Ukraine's budget gap, though no ready-made European alternative to the SpaceX Starshield satellite system exists. Ukraine faces an unfunded budget gap of $32.6 billion for next year, excluding $40 billion in direct military supplies from allies.