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US President Joe Biden spoke this Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, while the United States says the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine could occur in the coming days.
According to a White House statement, Biden told Zelenskiy that the United States would respond “quickly and decisively” to further Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The two leaders “agreed on the importance of following the path of diplomacy,” the statement said.
Western officials have expressed growing fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin could attack the former Soviet republic in the coming days.
The US Embassy in Kiev has begun evacuating its staff. In addition, the State Department has issued travel instructions, warning Americans not to go to Ukraine due to increased threats while advising US citizens staying in the country to leave immediately.
Some US diplomats are expected to relocate to western Ukraine, a move that would allow the US to maintain a diplomatic presence in the country, VOA reports.
Ahead of the conversation with the US President, Mr. Putin had a telephone conversation with the French President Emmanuel Macron, with whom he met earlier this week.
A statement from the Kremlin stated that “Putin and Macron have spoken out against what Moscow calls” provocative speculation about a planned Russian attack on Ukraine. ” Russia has repeatedly denied that it is planning military action against its neighbor.
During the conversation, Mr. Putin told Mr. Macron that the United States and NATO have not responded satisfactorily to Russia’s demands that Ukraine not be allowed to join NATO and that the alliance withdraw its troops from Eastern Europe.
President Biden has said the US military will not enter Ukraine in the event of war, but he has said Moscow will face tough economic sanctions, which will be imposed in co-operation with international allies.
Also today, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
A State Department statement said that during the conversation, Secretary Blinken made it clear that the diplomatic path to resolving the crisis remained open, but that this would require Moscow to reduce tensions and engage in talks in good faith. Mr. Blinken reiterated that if Moscow follows the path of aggression and invades Ukraine, it would result in a determined, massive and united, transatlantic response.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could begin during the Beijing Olympics or when Mr. Putin decides.
Many analysts have said that Moscow is unlikely to carry out any invasion before the Winter Olympics end on February 20.
Russia has already deployed enough forces on the border with Ukraine to conduct a major military operation, said Mr. Sullivan, who added that Russia could occupy important parts of the country, including the capital.
In addition to the more than 100,000 ground troops that U.S. officials say Russia has amassed along Ukraine’s eastern and southern borders, the Russians have deployed missiles, and other air and naval means to support a possible war. This week, Russia moved six amphibious assault ships into the Black Sea, increasing its ability to land on the coast.
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