Ukraine's central bank left its key interest rate steady at 15.5% on Thursday for the third consecutive meeting, saying it expects inflation to continue to ease but wartime risks will constrain economic growth.

Top EU leaders told their Chinese counterparts at a summit in Beijing on Thursday that Beijing must do more to level the huge trade surplus it has with Europe.

The European Union welcomed Ukraine's pledge to protect the independence of its anti-corruption agencies and said on Thursday that a commitment to fight corruption is an important precondition both for EU financial aid as well as for potential EU membership.

The move to curb anti-corruption agencies sparked protests, and by Wednesday evening, Zelenskyy had announced a new bill that would preserve the agencies' independence.

The State Department has approved $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine to enhance its air defense capabilities and provide armored combat vehicles.

Ukraine's central bank on Thursday left its key interest rate steady at 15.5% for the third consecutive meeting as inflation is expected to continue to ease, but it said that wartime risks will constrain economic growth.