The chat was the leaders’ second in a month and comes days after the U.S. paused deliveries of some defensive weapons to embattled Ukraine.

Ukraine confirms strike on missile battery plant in Lipetsk During a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on July 3, Russian President Vladimir Putin said "Russia will continue to pursue its goals" in the war against Ukraine,

Deputy head of the Russian Navy Major General Mikhail Gudkov, who had led a brigade fighting against Ukraine, was killed in a Ukrainian attack on Russia's southern Kursk region, the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed on Thursday.

The Kremlin has repeatedly said arms shipments to Ukraine from allies prolong the conflict Moscow started and raise the risk of escalation. The U.S. confirmed this week it had paused supplying some arms to fight Russian aggression.

The United States is halting some weapons shipments to Ukraine amid its war with Russia, the White House confirmed Tuesday. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told CBS News in a statement that the "decision was made to put America's interests first following" a Defense Department "review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe.

On Tuesday the White House said that it had cut off some weapons deliveries to Ukraine in order "to put America's interests first".