Biden to call Ukraine leader over weekend

>>WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky were due to speak by phone today, both sides confirmed, after the US leader again warned that Russia’s Vladimir Putin would face a tough response to any invasion of the eastern European country.

Using some of his most direct language yet, Mr Biden said Friday, “I’m not going to negotiate here in public, but we made it clear he cannot — I’ll emphasise, cannot — invade Ukraine.”

He added, in brief remarks to reporters in Wilmington, Delaware, that he had “made it clear to President Putin that we will have severe sanctions, we will increase our presence in Europe, with Nato allies” if Russia invades Ukraine.

During today’s scheduled call with Mr Zelensky, a White House official said, Mr Biden will “reaffirm US support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, discuss Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s borders, and review preparations for upcoming diplomatic engagements to help de-escalate the situation in the region”.

Mr Zelensky tweeted: “Look forward to talking again with @POTUS this Sunday to coordinate our steps for the sake of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe.”

Washington and its European allies accuse Russia of threatening former Soviet territory Ukraine with a new invasion.

Some 100,000 Russian troops are massed near the border of the country, where Mr Putin already seized the Crimea region in 2014 and is accused of fomenting a pro-Russian separatist war which erupted that same year in the east.

Moscow describes the troop presence as protection against the expansion of Nato, although Ukraine has not been offered membership.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Friday with Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg; afterward, Mr Blinken urged Russia to “engage meaningfully” with upcoming talks on the tense standoff between Moscow and Western-backed Ukraine.

Mr Stoltenberg said Nato was “united” and “prepared for dialogue”.

The latest diplomatic push came one day after Mr Biden warned Mr Putin against invading Ukraine, while the Kremlin leader said anti-Moscow sanctions would be a “colossal mistake”.

After a 50-minute phone call both presidents indicated support for further diplomacy.