Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin exchanged warnings about the crisis in Ukraine during a 50-minute call that did nothing to lower political tensions, according to their governments.
Russia has shocked the US and its allies by mobilizing tens of thousands of troops near its border with Ukraine over the past two months. This follows its capture of the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine in 2014 and its support by separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Thursday’s talks, called by Putin, were the second of the leaders ‘leaders this month but, White House said, included both men and re-appointed their positions – including Biden’ warning of serious consequences if Putin decided to attack.
“President Biden has called on Russia to reduce tensions with Ukraine,” Jen Psaki, a White House press secretary, said in a statement. “He made it clear that the United States and its allies and allies will respond immediately if Russia continues to invade Ukraine.”
In a press conference with reporters, the chief executive added that Biden had set “two options”: one for communications and the collapse, the other for “greater costs and outcomes” such as economic sanctions, strengthening Nato and the military. help Ukraine.
The Kremlin, on the other hand, insisted that Putin had used the phone to launch his threat, telling Biden that the new sanctions could completely undermine relations between Russia and the US and were a major mistake.
Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: “Our president has responded immediately and said that if the West decided to impose this or other sanctions, it could lead to a complete collapse. relations between our countries and have caused the greatest damage to relations between Russia and the West. ”
Shakov added: “Our president also pointed out that it would be a mistake for our descendants to see it as a big mistake.”
Biden, who spends a week in his hometown of Delaware, spoke with Putin at his home near Wilmington. The White House has distributed a photo of the president talking to a Russian leader at a desk full of family photos.
The request came ahead of a US-Russia security summit in Geneva on January 9 and 10, followed by a Russia-Nato session on January 12, and a comprehensive conference involving Moscow, Washington and other European countries on January 13.
In a phone call to the press conference, a White House official described the discussion as “critical and important” but focused on setting the tone and tenor about future negotiations with the officials rather than breaking the new foundation.
The official also admitted that Putin did not specify whether he planned to attack or retreat. “We will not come to an end and there are no announcements about the intentions of this conversation.
“But still, we are very much focused on actions and indicators, not on words right now, so we will continue to carefully monitor the movement and construction of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border and be prepared for anything. the decision was finally made by the president of Russia. “
Putin, who made a video call with Biden on December 7, compared the current tensions with the Cuban Cold War in 1962. He denies planning to invade Ukraine and insists that Russia has the right to withdraw its troops alone. soil.
Moscow has demanded binding legal guarantees that Nato will not continue eastward and that certain offensive weapons will not be sent to Ukraine or to neighboring countries. Washington sees some of the requirements as non-initiation.
Antony Blinken, secretary of state of the United States, spoke Wednesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Spokesman Ned Price said Blinken “reiterated that the United States supports the independence, sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine’s territory while Russia faces military constraints on Ukraine’s borders”.