EU leaders head to a summit on Thursday seeking a deal on the bloc’s nearly €2 trillion budget for 2028-2034 by Christmas amid deep divisions over spending and fears that upcoming elections, particularly in France, could strengthen eurosceptic forces.
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Far-right leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday that France could no longer afford to fund Ukraine, citing the country's high deficit and weak economic growth.
Russia struck Ukraine's Izmail port and two cargo ships en route to Odesa, the Russian Defence Ministry said Thursday. A day earlier, Moscow launched more missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.