Biden: United States will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden had a telephone conversation with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday.

“President Biden made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine,” reads the statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki released on the website of the White House.

The leaders expressed support for diplomatic efforts, starting next week with the bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue, at NATO through the NATO-Russia Council, and at the OSCE.

President Biden underscored the commitment of the United States and its allies and partners to the principle of “nothing about you without you”, reads the statement.

He reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Biden also expressed support for confidence-building measures to de-escalate tensions in Donbas and active diplomacy to advance the implementation of the Minsk Agreements, in support of the Normandy Format.

Meanwhile, the President of Ukraine wrote on his Twitter account that he had discussed reforms, de-oligarchization, and joint actions to prevent further escalation with his American counterpart.

As reported, a previous conversation between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States took place on December 9, during which the results of the Biden–Putin talks on December 7 were discussed.

On December 30, 2021, the American leader had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which lasted less than an hour. In particular, the head of the White House warned his interlocutor about the imposition of large-scale economic, financial, and political sanctions in case of further escalation of the situation around Ukraine.

ol