Biden tells Ukraine ‘it will’ respond in a positive way ‘if Russia attacks | Political Issues
The US president has offered to sing with his Ukrainian counterpart as Russia’s military escalates the conflict.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday reassured his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Washington and its allies would “respond strongly” if Russia wants to take over a Western alliance, the White House said.
The two men spoke on the phone a few days after Biden’s performance second discussion in one month with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid tensions over Russia-Ukraine borders, during which Russia filled about 100,000 troops.
“President Biden also made it clear that the United States and its allies and allies have responded strongly if Russia continues to attack Ukraine,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.
Biden and Zelenskyy discussed preparations for a series of upcoming diplomatic missions to address the issue, according to the White House.
Zelenskyy later wrote that he appreciated the “unwavering support” of the United States and that the invitation to “confirm the special status” of the two countries’ relationship.
Top US and Russian officials are due to sit down on January 9 and 10 in Geneva to discuss the issue. Negotiations with the Russia-NATO Council and a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) should also take place.
Biden said he had told Putin that it was important for the Russian people to take action to resolve the issue before the talks.
In an interview with Putin on Friday, Biden said: “I will not discuss it here in public, but we have shown that they can not – and will not, – not attack Ukraine.”
The US leader added, speaking to reporters during a holiday in Delaware, that he had “made it clear to President Putin that we would have more sanctions, increase our presence in Europe, and NATO allies” if Russia attacks Ukraine.
Putin’s foreign policy adviser told reporters last week that Putin had warned Biden that pursuing sanctions “could lead to the end of diplomatic relations and Russia-West relations could be severely strained”.
Russia annexed Crimea in Ukraine in 2014 and is accused of causing a pro-Russian separatist war in the east of the country, which exploded that year.
Kremlin officials have confirmed their need for any guarantees future expansion of NATO should leave Ukraine and the other former Soviet Union, and call for an alliance to eliminate dangerous weapons in the region.
