President Joe Biden on Thursday will speak with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin “to discuss a range of topics, including upcoming diplomatic engagements” as tension over the country’s placement of troops near the Ukrainian border continues, the White House announced.
The call was a request from Russia, officials said, and it comes as the U.S. continues to coordinate with European allies “on a common approach in response to Russia’s military build-up on the border with Ukraine,” National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said in a statement.
“President Biden has always believed that there is no substitute for direct leader-to-leader dialogue,” a senior administration official told reporters Wednesday.
The talks will be held on the “basis of reciprocity,” they added, and they come ahead of planned talks on Jan. 10 that will include a Nato-Russia Council meeting.
Russia has amassed 100,000 troops at the border with Ukraine, sparking fears of an invasion, but Russia has repeatedly denied that it plans to take such an action. In recent days, Russia has reportedly withdrawn roughly 10,000 troops from the border.
Officials did not guess at why Russian officials had requested Thursday’s call, instead saying that “we are at a moment of crisis and have been for some weeks now given the Russian build-up” and noting the need for a “high level of engagement” to come to a solution.
“We are prepared to provide Ukraine with further assistance to defend its territory and respond to a potential Russian occupation,” the senior administration official said, later adding: “We continue to be gravely concerned about the nature of the Russian troop presence there and the capabilities that they have.”
During a call earlier this month, Biden warned Putin of “severe consequences” if Russia invaded Ukraine. Biden “expressed deep concerns” related to “Russia’s escalation of forces surrounding Ukraine” warned Putin that the U.S. and its allies “would respond with strong economic and other measures in the event of military escalation.”
“I made it very clear, if in fact he invades Ukraine, there will be severe consequences, severe consequences,” Biden said. “Economic consequences like none he’s ever seen or ever have been seen.”
Officials on Wednesday said that President Biden is hoping to move forward with a path of diplomacy but stands ready to aid its Ukrainian ally if Russia does not move toward deescalation.
Biden noted that sending U.S. troops to defend Ukraine against a possible Russian invasion is “not on the table.”
“The idea the United States is going to unilaterally use force to confront Russia invading Ukraine is not in the cards right now,” Biden said. “What will happen is there will be severe consequences.”
The two leaders were also set to hold security talks on Jan. 10, with Russia and NATO planning to hold talks on Jan. 12, as well as a broader meeting with Russia, the U.S. and European leaders on Jan. 13.
