As Moscow’s drone buzzes and cyberattacks increase, European leaders are taking a more openly aggressive stance

Officials are accusing Russia of smaller-scale assaults. President Vladimir V. Putin sought to turn the tables, saying that if Europe were to start a war, Russia is ready.

By John O'Donnell and Julia Payne BRUSSELS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The European Union is trying to lend Ukraine tens of billions of dollars, as support from Washington wanes, Russia ekes out gains on the battlefield and Kyiv edges closer to a funding crunch early next year.

The European Union agreed Wednesday to phase out Russian natural gas imports by late 2027 as part of an effort to end the bloc’s decade-long dependency on Russian energy.

Several top Ukrainian officials were expected to be in Brussels on Wednesday.

The European Union's plans to phase out Russian natural gas imports by 2027 will impact some member nations more than others, due to wide country variance in gas dependence and differing abilities to switch suppliers to other origins.

Putin is trying to drive a wedge between the United States and Europe and take advantage of any disagreement to further his foreign policy goals in Ukraine.

The European Union has a proposal for how to turn Russian frozen assets into a giant loan for Ukraine. If it fails, it could further weaken Europe’s global image.