<h1>President says major oil buyer agreed to sharply cut rival's crude by year-end, defends tariffs and seeks summit talks</h1> The U.S. president publicly asserted that a major oil-importing country has agreed to sharply reduce purchases of a rival state's crude by year-end, and said he will press another large importer to follow suit; he framed such reductions as constraining financing for that rival's military campaign. He defended steep tariffs imposed on the first importer, describing them as vital to national prosperity and conflict prevention, and linked trade pressure to recent regional de-escalation claims. He plans bilateral talks with a foreign leader at an upcoming economic summit to discuss ending the conflict.