Putin Boosts Defense Budget Amid EU-Kyiv Talks and Military Shakeup

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new budget that includes record defense spending, as the conflict in Ukraine nears its third year. This decision follows recent escalations, including Moscow's threats to target Kyiv's government buildings and aerial attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, European leaders visited Kyiv to express their continued support for Ukraine. The budget had been approved by Russian lawmakers in November.