President Zelensky Makes Phone Calls With President Trump Ahead Of Deadline Ceasefire

President Zelensky made a phone call. (Source: President.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday he had a "productive" conversation with his US partner, Donald Trump, regarding the end of the war, sanctions against Russia and the finalization of the US-Ukraine drone deal.

"President Trump has fully received information about Russian attacks on Kyiv and other cities and communities," President Zelensky wrote on X, referring to the increase in drone and missile attacks.

Speaking in his evening video address, President Zelensky said President Trump "knows the situation along the front lines," which stretches for 1,000 km (620 miles) through eastern and southern Ukraine.

Ukraine, he said, had long supported US proposals for an immediate ceasefire and had proposed a number of formats to stop fighting.

"We have spoken with Russia and proposed that Russia remain calm in the air, there will be no missile and drone attacks, and in particular there will be no attacks on civilian infrastructure or the energy sector," he explained.

"All of this has been violated by Russia and in a very cynical way," President Zelensky said.

President Trump, who has shown frustration against Vladimir Putin in recent weeks, has given the Russian president until August 8 to make peace in Ukraine or face tougher sanctions.

President Trump has threatened to impose new sanctions on Russia and impose a 100 percent tariff on countries buying its oil, although sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters President Putin would most likely not be subject to the ultimatum.

Meanwhile, a source in Washington said US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff would meet with Russian leaders in Moscow on Wednesday.

President Zelensky said Ukraine was also ready to reach an agreement with the US on the purchase of Ukrainian drones that would be "one of the strongest agreements". Previously, he said the deal was worth about 30 billion US dollars.

Ukraine itself is increasingly seeking financing and investment from its foreign partners to strengthen its fast-growing domestic weapons industry.

President Zelensky said European partner Kyiv had so far pledged to buy more than $1 billion of Uncle Sam's country's weapons to Ukraine as part of a new scheme.