President Joe Biden held a phone call Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid mounting tensions between Russia and Ukraine that threaten to escalate to a military conflict.
The White House reported that in the call, which lasted about 50 minutes, Biden asked his Russian counterpart to reduce tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
[Putin hardens the tone and threatens a "tough" military response to any "hostile measure" by NATO]
Russia has deployed more than 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine
, while demanding that the North Atlantic Treaty organization (NATO) ban Ukraine and former Soviet states from joining its military alliance, from which is part of the United States and a good part of the Western European countries.
President Joe Biden on the phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Puitn amid escalating tensions on the Russia-Ukraine border;
December 30, 2021 Casa Blanca
The call was made
"at the request of the Russian side
," a senior Biden Administration official said Wednesday, adding: "I cannot explain why the Russian side has requested this call," he added.
The official indicated that the two leaders planned to discuss diplomacy and de-escalation of tensions on the border between Russia and Ukraine, as well as to lay the groundwork for the security talks between the United States and Russia to be held on January 10.
Biden and Putin are not expected to participate in those talks.
"President Biden reiterated that there will only be substantial progress in these dialogues in an environment of de-escalation, rather than escalation," the White House said in a statement Thursday.
While
Russia has denied it has plans to attack its neighbor
, Biden Administration officials say they are preparing for that possibility.
The White House did not provide a transcript or summary of what was said during the call between the leaders of the two powers.
[Biden warns Putin in a virtual meeting about the "very real cost" that Russia would pay to invade Ukraine]
In a call with Putin earlier this month, Biden warned that the United States would apply "strong economic measures" and increase military aid to the region should Russia invade Ukraine.
The president told Putin that, in addition to sanctions, the United States would provide more defense material to Ukraine and develop the military capabilities of nearby countries that also border Russia.
Biden warns Putin of economic sanctions if he invades Ukraine
Dec. 7, 202100: 48
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, according to State Department spokesman Ned Price.
Blinken
"He reiterated the unwavering support of the United States for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of Russia's military development on the borders of Ukraine," Price said.
As vice president, Biden was closely involved in US relations with Ukraine.
At that time, Russia had invaded and annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine.
This time,
the White House assured that it will go further in the fight against Russian military aggression than in 2014.
Biden has come under fire for suspending sanctions this year on Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea, a project strongly opposed by Ukraine and other Eastern European countries.
But US officials say the Administration will not hesitate to impose sanctions and prevent completion of the pipeline if necessary.
With information from
NBC News
.
