European Union leaders on Thursday ordered the bloc’s executive branch to come up with options for meeting Ukraine’s pressing economic and military needs over the next two years, but did not agree to use frozen Russian assets to fill the gap.

European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to meet Ukraine's "pressing financial needs" for the next two years but stopped short of endorsing a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund a giant loan to Kyiv due to concerns raised by Belgium.

The U.S. and EU have had tricky relations this year, with differences over support for Ukraine and trade tariffs creating tensions.

European Union leaders are seeking a more active role in Gaza and the occupied West Bank after being sidelined from a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

EU leaders agreed on Thursday to meet Ukraine's pressing financial needs for the next two years but stopped short of explicitly endorsing the use of Russian frozen assets to give Kyiv a large loan, after concerns were raised by Belgium.

The European Union on Thursday formally adopted sweeping sanctions targeting Russia's energy sector, a day after the United States announced punitive measures against the Kremlin's oil industry.

French President Emmanuel Macron told European Union leaders to consider using the bloc’s most powerful trade tool against China if they aren’t able to find a resolution to Beijing’s planned export controls on critical raw materials.

Ukraine was too poor, too agrarian and too oligarch-ridden to be a credible member of the EU. In any case the doors of the club seemed bolted shut. Somewhat more credible aspirants, including six in the western Balkans,