European Union leaders clashed over irregular migration in the closing stages of a two-day summit in Brussels, prolonging discussions beyond the expected finish time.
Denmark, Poland and Italy pushed for changes to the conclusions, including an indirect reference to Spain's large-scale regularisation plan of 600,000 undocumented migrants.
A new working draft obtained by Euronews urged countries to avoid "measures that could create incentives for illegal migration". However, in the end, the expansive text was rejected, and a shorter, lighter version was adopted.
Earlier on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked EU leaders to provide €70 billion in additional financial and military support next year. The bloc committed to explore possible options to fill the financial shortfall.
Zelenskyy also vowed his country "will stand firm" as US President Donald Trump cuts deals with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and undermines the transatlantic alliance's common front.
"I defend the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people exclusively. We were attacked, occupied, and our people were killed. It is only logical that we have the right to defend ourselves," Zelenskyy said in his press conference, responding to a question from Euronews. "And however much Russia might wish to restrict all our rights, it is clear that we have the right to defend ourselves."
His remarks come as Trump doubles down on the clash, calling Kyiv's strategy to strike Russian oil refineries a "disgrace" and demanding new elections in the country.
"I find Zelenskyy to be more difficult to deal with than Putin," Trump told Newsmax.
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