No breakthrough in Biden-Putin call
US President Biden spoke of “great human suffering” in the event of an invasion of Ukraine. Above all, Kremlin boss Putin complains about the lack of pressure on Kiev. There is no breakthrough.
Ukraine conflict
Washington (AP) – US President Joe Biden warned Russia’s head of state Vladimir Putin in a telephone call against an invasion of Ukraine.
After the meeting, the White House announced that Biden had stressed that an invasion would “cause great human suffering and damage Russia’s reputation”. The result would be a resolute response from the US and allies, with severe consequences for Moscow. Biden made it clear that the United States was again ready for diplomatic talks, but “also prepared for other scenarios”.
Putin calls for more pressure on Ukraine
In the phone call, Putin complained about the lack of pressure from the West on Ukraine. “He (Putin) noted that the Western states are not exerting the appropriate pressure to ensure that Kiev fulfills its obligations,” Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told the TASS state agency in the evening. US warnings of a possible Russian attack on neighboring Ukraine are “hysteria,” Ushakov said. Nevertheless, the conversation was “fairly balanced and factual”.
Biden presented “a number of considerations” that, from a US perspective, took into account Russian concerns about security in Europe, Ushakov said. Putin has promised to examine these statements. At the same time, it has already become clear that key Russian demands are not being met.
No breakthrough
After the two presidents spoke on the phone, a high-ranking official in the US government emphasized that the dynamic that had developed over the past few weeks had not fundamentally changed as a result of the conversation. The US side had put ideas on the table with a view to security in Europe, which would also address some of Russia’s concerns. The government official was not more specific. It is unclear whether Russia is interested in achieving its goal through diplomacy rather than force, he said, but stressed: “There is too much at stake here not to give Russia every chance to avoid what we believe would be catastrophic.”
The two presidents have agreed that their teams should keep in touch in the coming days, the US administration official said. “Russia could still decide to take military action.” In fact, this is absolutely possible.
Concerns about a Russian invasion are growing
Concerns about a Russian invasion of Ukraine are growing in the US and Europe. Several countries – including Germany – called on their citizens to leave Ukraine on Saturday. The US government is warning of a Russian invasion of the neighboring country before the end of next week. Russia denies this and for its part accuses the USA of increasing the risk of war itself by warning of Russian aggression.
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