Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that he held a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, focusing on efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude on social media, particularly on X, for President Trump's commitment towards achieving a just and lasting peace.

According to Anadolu Agency, Zelenskyy mentioned that the discussion involved coordination of positions with Trump, exchanging assessments of the situation, and acknowledging that Russia has intensified its attacks. President Trump has been briefed on these Russian strikes, particularly those targeting Kyiv and other regions.

Sanctions against Russia were another key topic of discussion. Zelenskyy highlighted Trump's proposal to increase pressure on Russia's oil sector, which he believes could lead to significant changes. The conversation also covered joint European defense initiatives, with commitments from countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark totaling over one billion dollars for American weaponry to be supplied to Ukraine. Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of continued cooperation with NATO countries.

The leaders also discussed bilateral defense cooperation, with Zelenskyy noting that Ukraine has prepared a draft agreement on drones. He expressed Kyiv's readiness to discuss the draft in detail and finalize it, describing the potential agreement as potentially one of the strongest.

In a related development, Trump declared his plan to raise tariffs on India within the next 24 hours due to its purchase of Russian oil. He asserted that a reduction in oil prices by another $10 per barrel might compel Russia to cease its military activities in Ukraine, which have been ongoing since February 2022.