EU Approves €90 Billion Ukraine Loan as Putin Sends Mixed Signals

European Union leaders have agreed to a major €90 billion loan package for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the decision, calling it a critical "signal to the Russians" that Western support remains strong. The deal, however, does not use frozen Russian state assets as a funding source. Zelenskyy stressed that keeping these assets frozen is essential. In his first comments on the war since the EU agreement, Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Kyiv for the ongoing conflict. He claimed Ukraine refuses to end the war through peaceful means. Yet Putin also stated there are "some signals" that Ukraine might be willing to engage in dialogue. He did not provide details.