"Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday that Kiev now holds 'stronger cards' after the EU passed a €90 billion loan for Ukraine over the course of the next two years. "I am convinced that now your position towards Russia is significantly better. You have stronger cards. I know you don't play cards as you said once. You remember?" Tusk said during a joint press briefing in Warsaw. "With us, you have stronger cards. Things could be better and more effective, but I am really glad that at least we accomplished what we promised," he added. Tusk also praised Zelensky's leadership, hailing him as a 'hero' both in Ukraine and Poland. "It is absolutely clear that your struggle is our common struggle for Europe, Poland, Ukraine. And I greatly appreciate your personal efforts. You are a hero not only in Ukraine but also in Poland. We regard you as a hero," he stated. For his part, Zelensky thanked European leaders for passing the loan, calling it a 'firm, decisive' action. "Russia wanted very much to thwart it, cancel it, delay these meetings," Zelensky said. "Europe has shown leadership here, which is extremely important." Crunch talks between European leaders in Brussels saw them fail to agree on the keynote plan pushed by the European Commission to use frozen Russian assets for a $140bn 'reparations loan' for Ukraine. The alternative - a smaller $90bn loan over two years backed by the EU budget - needed a unanimous decision, with Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic only agreeing to approve it on the proviso that they did not have to contribute."