US President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to pursue “diplomacy” and “deterrence” against Russia during a phone conversation lasting around 50 minutes on Sunday, the White House reported.
“Both leaders agreed on the importance of continuing diplomacy and deterrence in response to Russian military buildup on Ukraine’s borders,” according to the US executive’s minutes.
During this exchange, Joe Biden again promised a “swift and resolute” response from the United States, in coordination with its allies, in the event of a Russian attack, and reaffirmed its support for “the sovereignty and integrity territory of Ukraine”.
This call is part of a phase of intense diplomatic activity: on Saturday, Western and Russian leaders chained phone calls to try to ease tensions around Ukraine, which Moscow is accused of preparing the invasion.
But these discussions seem to have produced few results. The meeting between Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday did not give “reason for optimism”, said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Sunday.
The day before, an American official had already affirmed that this exchange had not led to “fundamental change”.
The United States, while insisting that the diplomatic channel remains open regarding Russia, repeats that an invasion of Ukraine could be imminent.
The attack “could take place as early as this week,” White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Sunday.
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