EU Summit: Leaders Tackle US Ties and Ukraine Support

European Union leaders are focusing their second summit day on relations with the United States and support for Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attending the meeting in Brussels. Zelensky has recently sharpened his criticism of the White House and Donald Trump, who suggested Zelensky should step down and Ukraine should hold elections. The US decision to purchase Russian diesel fuel has also drawn criticism, though European leaders remain cautious as they still need US support. There are concerns the US administration may push Europe to hand over frozen Russian assets, which German Chancellor Friedrich Merz insists must remain in Europe. Analysts suggest Trump's envoys may have been misled by Putin's promises of personal benefits, potentially motivating pressure on Zelensky.