Brussels, 22 August 2025 (dpa/MIA) - The European Union has paid out further financial aid amounting to €4.05 billion ($4.7 billion) to Ukraine as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov poured cold water on the idea of a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders any time soon.

"EU solidarity with Ukraine is unwavering," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X on Friday ahead of this weekend's Ukrainian Independence Day. The disbursement of more than €4 billion demonstrates the EU's strong commitment to the country's recovery and future, she added.

The announcement came as NATO members from the European Union have been closing ranks behind Ukraine to present a united front to US President Donald Trump in his diplomatic push to get a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia's Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

The commission said €3.05 billion comes from the Ukraine Facility, an aid programme worth up to €50 billion for the years 2024 to 2027. In addition, €1 billion is coming from a macro-financial assistance loan that is part of a G7 initiative totalling around €45 billion.

The commission said the release of the funds had also been made possible by the withdrawal of a law that would have restricted the independence of Ukraine's central anti-corruption authorities. It welcomed the move and stressed that Ukraine's rule of law and anti-corruption reforms remained crucial for its further path towards EU membership.

Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, the EU and its member states have pledged almost €169 billion in aid, ranging from military and financial support to assistance for refugees.

Russia says no plans for summit with Zelensky

While Trump has been pushing for Putin and Zelensky to meet, Moscow currently sees no basis for a direct meeting between the two leaders.

"Putin is ready to meet with Zelensky when the agenda is ready for a summit, and this agenda is not ready at all," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the US television network NBC on Friday.

Among the points that would need to be clarified in advance are a Ukrainian renunciation of membership in the Western military alliance NATO and territorial concessions. "Zelensky said no to everything," Lavrov continued.

Over the course of the full-scale invasion that began three and a half years ago, Russia has almost completely taken over the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk and partially occupied the Kremlin-claimed areas of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson.

For freezing the front in Zaporizhzhya and Kherson, Putin has reportedly demanded that Kiev completely relinquish the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

Russia already annexed the Crimea peninsula in 2014 in violation of international law.

NATO chief Rutte makes surprise visit to Kiev

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made a surprise visit to Kiev on Friday to discuss Western security guarantees for Ukraine, describing the guarantees as an important factor for lasting peace in Ukraine.

After his meeting with Zelensky, Rutte praised the US president at a joint press conference on Friday.

Trump recently hosted Putin in Alaska and then subsequently spoke with Zelensky and the European NATO allies in Washington, which Rutte attended.

He said that Trump had brought movement into the negotiations. "President Trump has made this a priority, not only breaking the deadlock with Putin but making clear that the United States will be involved in providing security guarantees for Ukraine," said Rutte.

Zelensky seeks funds for more weapons

Zelensky, in turn, requested further assistance in financing the arms industry. He said that Ukraine has great potential, particularly in drone production. "It's not a secret: It's slightly more than $6 billion," Zelensky said regarding the financial needs.

The president described drones as the number one weapon. There was also discussion about the financing of arms purchases in the United States by NATO countries. "We have discussed this with Mark. It can be $1 billion per month, maybe something like $1.5 billion," said Zelensky.

Rutte was praised by the Ukrainian president as an important and reliable partner for Kiev since the beginning of the Russian war.