European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on April 8, 2022. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

In their first phone call of the year, Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen talked about the supply of appropriate weapons and a new 18 billion euros financial assistance program to Ukraine, with Zelenskyy pushing for the first tranche to be sent this month.

Last month, the EU cleared the way to giving Ukraine the aid in a so-called megadeal that included the adoption of a minimum 15% global corporate tax rate.

Also on Monday, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, called on Moscow and Kyiv to hold peace talks.