IRIA News

U.S. President Joe Biden held phone talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Russia’s escalating military buildup on the borders of Ukraine.

During the call, the U.S. president warned that if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States and its allies and partners “will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia.”

According to a statement released by the White House, President Biden told the Russian president that “a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia’s standing.”

“President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios,” the statement added.

During the phone talks, Russian President Putin told Biden that the U.S. did not take Russia’s main concerns into account, and Moscow had not yet received any “substantial answer” on key aspects, which includes NATO’s expansion and the offensive forces’ deployment in Ukraine, Kremlin said in a statement.

According to Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov, “Biden predictably mentioned possible tough anti-Russian sanctions in the context of the tense situation around Ukraine, but that was not the focus of his rather lengthy conversation with the Russian leader.”

A senior U.S. administration official said on February 12 that the call between the two presidents lasted a bit over an hour, and termed it as “professional and substantive”.

“There was no fundamental change in the dynamic that has been unfolding now for several weeks, but we believe that we have put ideas on the table that would be in our and our allies’ interest to pursue, that would enhance European security, and that would also address some of Russia’s stated concerns, just as we have been clear that we are committed to upholding Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the rights of states to choose their own security arrangements,” a senior administration official added.

On February 12, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III also held phone talks with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu. Both officials discussed “Russia’s force buildup in Crimea and around Ukraine,” the U.S. Department of Defense statement read without providing any further details of the discussion.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on February 12 by phone. Both officials discussed Russia’s military buildup around Ukraine and NATO forces’ deployment in the region.

According to the U.S. State Department release, Secretary Blinken shared concerns that “Russia may be considering launching further military aggression against Ukraine in the coming days. The Secretary made clear that a diplomatic path to resolving the crisis remained open, but it would require Moscow to deescalate and engage in good-faith discussions.”

U.S. secretary of state reiterated that “should Moscow pursue the path of aggression and further invade Ukraine, it would result in a resolute, massive, and united Transatlantic response,” the statement added.

Blinken during his official trip to Fiji described the ongoing tensions with Russia as “a pivotal moment” and said that the U.S. is “prepared for whatever should happen.” He added, “If President Putin decides to take military action, we will swiftly impose severe economic sanctions in coordination with allies and partners around the globe. We will bolster Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, we will reinforce our allies on the eastern flank of NATO.”

Separately on February 12, French President Emmanuel Macron also held a telephone conversation with Russian President Putin to discuss the situation around Ukraine. During the talks, the French president emphasized that sincere negotiations cannot be achieved with an escalation in tensions over Ukraine.

According to French presidential aides, France considered that the Russian president believed “that it was not he who took the initiative for the escalation”, but the NATO partners who approached the Russian border. Putin hoped to neutralize Ukraine, however, “he knows that this is unacceptable [for the West] and that his military exercises carry a risk of additional escalation”, they added.

The Kremlin accused the West of sending “modern weapons” to Ukraine and termed the “allegedly planned Russian ‘invasion’ of Ukraine” as “provocative speculations”.

“Conditions are being created for possible aggressive actions of the Ukrainian security forces in the Donbas,” the Kremlin added.