Zelenskiy Urges Coordinated Sanctions for 'Just Peace'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reached out to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte over the phone to deliberate on collective measures needed to exert pressure on Russia towards attaining a 'just peace.'

Emphasizing the need for unified decisions, Zelenskiy pointed out that sanctions will only be effective if there's concentrated pressure on Moscow, a sentiment communicated through the Telegram messaging app. This outreach comes as Zelenskiy works to rally European allies for increased pressure on Russia in the wake of a telephonic exchange between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

For Ukraine and its allies, Trump's call with Putin reset their diplomatic efforts with the U.S., as Trump discarded his previous demand for an unconditional ceasefire to spur peace talks. This development has left Ukraine feeling exposed and has raised concerns among its allies.

(With inputs from agencies.)