Putin approves record military budget as EU officials visit Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a budget plan that raises military spending for 2025 to a record 13.5 trillion rubles (over $145 billion), increasing the defense allocation to 32.5% of the total budget. This marks a rise from 28.3% in 2024. The announcement comes as new European Council President Antonio Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas visit Kyiv, reaffirming EU support for Ukraine amid ongoing conflict. Their visit coincides with concerns about future U.S. support under a potential Trump administration. In recent violence, a Russian drone strike in Kherson killed three people, while a missile attack in Dnipro resulted in four deaths and 24 injuries. Ukrainian forces reported downing 32 out of 78 Russian drones launched overnight.