Biden and Putin to hold year-end call as Russian troop presence fans fears of an invasion of Ukraine
hold a call Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Moscow’s request.
The White House has warned Russia against invading its neighbor — with a senior administration official labeling the situation a “moment of crisis” Wednesday — and Biden’s call with Putin will be a major test of American leadership on a global stage.
“Biden is under pressure to show results and to show whether the United States with its allies can deter Russia and get it to step down from this build up,” said Angela Stent, director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University.
Russia has ramped up its military presence along Ukraine’s eastern border over the past several months. Biden and allies have said they will impose tough economic sanctions against Russia if its aggression escalates.
Putin’s buildup of Russian troops sparks concern
Biden and Putin’s call comes ahead of a bilateral meeting between U.S. and Russian officials scheduled for Jan. 10. That same week, there will also be meetings between NATO and Russia, as well as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, where Ukraine will be present.
high-stakes video teleconference with Putin earlier this month, where he emphasized that he preferred a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine. However, the president warned that if Russia invades Ukraine, the U.S. would send additional defense resources to Ukraine and would look to deploy additional forces to fortify its NATO allies in the area.
Contributing: Michael Collins, Matthew Brown and Joey Garrison
Reach Rebecca Morin at Twitter @RebeccaMorin_