European leaders stated on Thursday that while the 27-nation bloc cannot fully replace US support for war-torn Ukraine, they are confident that the US will soon reach an agreement to provide further assistance. The leaders gathered in Granada, Spain for a summit of the European Political Community to demonstrate their commitment to Ukraine in light of Russia’s full-scale invasion. This meeting follows recent political upheavals in both the US and Europe.

In the US, President Joe Biden expressed concerns on Wednesday that congressional chaos could disrupt US aid to Ukraine due to Republican infighting complicating budget negotiations. However, he emphasized that a majority of members from both major parties support funding for Kyiv.

Meanwhile, in Europe, pro-Russian former Prime Minister Robert Fico won an election in Slovakia with the promise to end military aid to Ukraine.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated, “I was in Kyiv some days ago just at the moment when we knew that the U.S. Congress had not included support to Ukraine on the big deal about the budget in order to avoid the shutdown.” He added that Ukraine needs both the support of the European Union and the US.

When asked if Europe can fill the gap left by the US in terms of support for Ukraine, Borrell replied, “Certainly Europe cannot replace the US.”

Russia welcomed the news that a new US funding bill had passed without any new aid for Ukraine, with one Russian official stating that it marked “the beginning of the end for Ukraine.” However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed confidence in America while addressing European leaders in Spain, referring to recent “political storms.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the bloc is working on a 50 billion euro ($52 billion) package for Kyiv from 2024 to 2027, emphasizing the importance of predictability and reliability in direct budget support for Ukraine.

Addressing concerns about long-term US support for Ukraine, von der Leyen said, “It was very important that President Biden informed us at the beginning of this week about the support for Ukraine from the United States.” She expressed confidence in US support and highlighted that the timing of the assistance is currently being worked on.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte expressed absolute confidence that the US will continue supporting Ukraine’s war effort, dismissing concerns about a potential reduction in US support. Rutte stated that senior Democrat and Republican members of the US House of Representatives, after visiting the Hague, were in total agreement on the need to continue supporting Ukraine due to shared values and security interests.

Rutte added, “We cannot accept one country in 2022, 2023 invading another nation, so I am absolutely convinced that they will solve this issue.” When asked if the EU could step in if the US does not resume its support for Ukraine, Rutte stated that it is unnecessary as the EU will do what is necessary, and he remains confident that the US will continue its support.