Newsman: President Biden on Saturday warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that if Russia invaded Ukraine, the U.S. and its allies would “respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia,” the White House said.
The two leaders spoke by phone for roughly an hour.
“President Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia’s standing,” the White House said in a statement.
While the U.S. has remained prepared to engage with Russia diplomatically, the White House said, “We are equally prepared for other scenarios.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists Ukrainian intelligence does not track with what the U.S. is saying and he does not believe an attack from Russia is imminent.
“I think there’s too much out there about a full-scale war from Russia, and people are even naming dates. The best friend for our enemies is panic in our country, and all this information only creates panic, it doesn’t help us,” he said, during a visit to Kalanchak, a town near Russia-occupied Crimea.
Biden’s call with Putin was among several held between U.S. officials and their Russian counterparts.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken also spoke by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement that Blinken made it clear that a “diplomatic path to resolving the crisis remained open, but it would require Moscow to deescalate and engage in good-faith discussions.”
“[Blinken] reiterated that should Moscow pursue the path of aggression and further invade Ukraine, it would result in a resolute, massive, and united Transatlantic response,” Price said.
Austin has also spoken with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu on Saturday, according to the Pentagon.
