Russia's Military Budget Soars as EU Leaders Visit Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin has just signed off on a massive defense budget for 2025. This comes after lawmakers in Russia's parliament approved the plans. The budget shows a significant jump in military spending, with almost 32. 5% going to national defense. That's a whopping 13. 5 trillion rubles or over $145 billion. This is a big increase from the current year's 28. 3%. Why the sudden boost? It's all tied to Russia's war in Ukraine, which has been draining resources on both sides. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, top EU officials made their first visit to Kyiv. New European Council President Antonio Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas were there to show support. They promised to help Ukraine financially and stood by the country despite concerns about the new US administration led by Donald Trump.

Back on the ground, the war continues to take a heavy toll. In the southern city of Kherson, a Russian drone strike killed three people and wounded seven others. In Dnipro, the number of wounded from a missile attack rose to 24, with four deaths. Moscow also reported a child killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Bryansk region. Overnight, Ukraine's air force claimed to have destroyed or lost 77 Russian drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the outgoing Biden administration to push for Ukraine's membership in NATO. He believes this could end the "hot stage" of the war. But he also said any cease-fire negotiations must include representatives from the EU and NATO.

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