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The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, called for the easing of tensions with Ukraine, during last night’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
“He made it clear to President Putin that the United States, its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine,” the White House said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“Any Russian military intervention in Ukraine would lead to harsh sanctions on Moscow and an expansion of NATO’s presence in its eastern member states,” a senior White House official said after the talks.<\/p>\n
Ukraine can now count on further assistance, including its armed forces and national defense.<\/p>\n
In the hour-long phone call, Biden also pushed for a diplomatic solution and voiced support for talks with NATO and the OSCE scheduled for early next year.<\/p>\n
The call came ahead of talks in Geneva on January 10th, during which diplomats from both countries will meet to discuss the stalemate.<\/p>\n
Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said that “if the negotiations are successful, they can lead to improved bilateral relations.”<\/p>\n
Putin appeared willing to make concessions to his demands for mandatory security guarantees from NATO, outlined in a draft agreement submitted two weeks ago.<\/p>\n
He called for an end to NATO’s eastward expansion, which Moscow sees as a threat.<\/p>\n
In comments reported by Interfax, Ushakov said Moscow would take into account the considerations of the US and its partners in Western countries in the negotiations.<\/p>\n
He said Russia would still insist on guarantees of its security, and that Putin had discussed this with Biden.<\/p>\n
The US accuses Russia of a massive gathering of troops near Ukraine, while Russia accuses Ukraine of increasing its military presence in the region.<\/p>\n
“Both countries have a special responsibility for international and regional stability,” Putin was quoted as saying by the Kremlin.<\/p>\n
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