Amid tensions over Ukraine, the White House said today that President Biden will call up Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
The White House said the two leaders will “discuss a range of topics, including upcoming diplomatic engagements with Russia”.
The US and Russia will engage in talks in Geneva on January 10 on the Ukraine crisis after Putin’s regime submitted a security draft document to the Biden administration and NATO.
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Earlier this month during his phone call to Putin, President Biden had threatened large scale sanctions against Russia if the country attacked Ukraine. Ukraine has consistently reported that thousands of Russian troops have been moving into the border.
Although Russia has maintained it has no plans to invade Ukraine however Putin has asserted that Russian troops have the right to move in any part of the country.
Both the EU and NATO have warned Russia against a possible invasion. Putin had said Russia would take “appropriate retaliatory” steps against “aggressive stance” from US-led NATO forces, however, the temperatures looked to cool down after German leader Olaf Scholz’s phone call to Putin.
Russian troops recently completed military drills near Ukraine even as the Russian leader said the US had reacted positively to the security proposals.
“The Biden administration continues to engage in extensive diplomacy with our European allies and partners, consulting and coordinating on a common approach in response to Russia’s military build-up on the border with Ukraine,” the White House said.
Putin has repeatedly said NATO should not extend its border further east bordering Russia and demanded Ukraine should not join the European military alliance, however, NATO officials haven’t given any assurances to Russia so far.
(With inputs from Agencies)
