Joe Biden threatened Vladimir Putin with a firm response to any Russian invasion in Ukraine, during a telephone exchange Thursday during which the Russian president said that further sanctions against Moscow would be “a colossal mistake”.
According to the Kremlin, Vladimir Poutine said he was “satisfied” with this exchange of about fifty minutes, and an official of the American administration described the conversation as “serious and concrete”. Any diplomatic progress will first and foremost pass through a “de-escalation” in Ukraine, warned the American leader.
The two leaders nevertheless praised the diplomatic route out of the crisis generated by the threat of a Russian invasion.
No new engagement
Joe Biden took part in this telephone exchange – his second in less than a month with the strongman of the Kremlin – from Wilmington, his stronghold in Delaware where he spends the end-of-year holidays. During the call, the White House released a photo of the American leader, phone in hand, in a room with wood-paneled walls.
The United States will respond “resolutely” to any Russian invasion of Ukraine, he told his Russian counterpart, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said without further details.
According to a Kremlin statement released after the call, Joe Biden stressed that Washington would not deploy “offensive weapons” in Ukraine. The White House minimized these comments, assuring that it was only a simple confirmation of the current policy. “It was not a new engagement”, swept to AFP an American official.
NATO enlargement in question
For its part, the Kremlin demanded “results” on its demands for “guarantees” of security: the negotiation of two treaties redefining the security balance and architecture of Europe which will soon be discussed during Russian-American talks. January 10 in Geneva.
For Moscow, Russia’s security requires the prohibition of any NATO expansion, perceived as an existential threat, and the end of Western military activities near Russian borders, an area it considers to fall within its area. influence.