EU leaders tackle inflation, energy shocks from Russia’s war

BRUSSELS (AP) — A day after endorsing Ukraine’s candidacy to join the European Union, the bloc’s leaders turned their attention to the severe economic turbulence from Russia’s war in the neighboring country. The EU’s 27 leaders gathered in Brussels to grapple with surging inflation, energy shocks, dwindling business and consumer confidence, and growing budget pressures. The EU’s executive arm on Friday announced plans to issue 50 billion euros ($52.7 billion) of bonds to aid member countries between July and December. With no end in sight to the war in Ukraine and the EU committed to stepping up sanctions against Russia as punishment, the bloc must battle economic threats on multiple fronts.