European officials met in Budapest on November 7 to discuss whether the European Union would be willing to continue funding its support for Ukraine if US President-elect Donald Trump ended US aid, Bloomberg reported on November 8, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

One source expressed concern that Asset could attempt to shift the financial burden to Europe, although early discussions have indicated no radical change in direction.

Trump has repeatedly criticized Europeans NATO members for not having invested sufficiently in their defense capabilities and for having relied on the United States. During the election campaign, he also said he could end the war in Russia within 24 hours if he is elected, although he has not explained how he would achieve this.

Some fear that the new US president will reduce his support for kyiv and strike a deal with the Kremlin at Ukraine’s expense.

Some European officials have suggested that the real problem may not be the money itself, but rather military resources, which are mainly provided by Washington.

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the EU is the largest provider of aid to Ukraine, having allocated a total of 118 billion euros ($127 billion) since the mass invasion. scale of Russia. The United States has provided nearly 85 billion euros ($91 billion) in aid.

“Ukraine is grateful for all the support from our partners and we are open to any constructive ideas to achieve a just peace for our country,” the president said. Volodymyr Zelensky said at the summit of the European Political Community in Budapest.

He was among the first to congratulate Trump on his victory in the US presidential election, expressing hope for “strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States.” Both also had a follow-up phone callIagreeing to strengthen cooperation, the Ukrainian president said.

Kuleba: 5 lessons for Ukrainians from Trump’s victory

First, after his defeat in the 2019 US presidential election, Donald Trump was considered a political failure. But he didn’t give up: he got up, ran again and won four years later. Lesson: Never give up, even if everyone around you is championing your cause