Biden warns Putin of harsh consequences if Russia invades Ukraine
high-stakes video teleconference, Biden emphasized that he preferred a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine. But he warned that the U.S. would send additional defense resources to Ukraine above what it is already providing and would be looking to deploy additional forces to fortify its NATO allies in the area in response to a Russian incursion in Ukraine.
The two-hour discussion between the two leaders was “direct and straightforward,” White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said.
“There was a lot of give and take,” Sullivan told reporters after the call. “There was no finger-wagging, but the president was crystal clear about where the United States stands on all of these issues.”
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The video conference call between Biden and Putin came amid growing concern over U.S. intelligence reports of a buildup of Russian troops on Ukraine’s border, raising alarms that an invasion may be imminent.
The U.S. believes Putin still hasn’t made a decision to invade Ukraine, Sullivan said, but officials have stressed that Russia is putting in place the capacity to pursue such escalation if he chooses to do so.
Sullivan would not confirm reports that the U.S. has an agreement with Germany’s incoming government to cut off the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a much-disputed underseas gas pipeline planned to run from Russia to Germany, if Russia escalates its conflict with Ukraine.
But, “if Vladimir Putin wants to see gas flow through that pipeline, he may not want to take the risk of invading Ukraine,” he said.
A top U.S. envoy, Victoria Nuland, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that if Russia invaded, “our expectation is that the pipeline will be suspended.”
The Kremlin, in its summary of the call, described the conversation between Biden and Putin as “candid and businesslike.”
“Putin emphasized that it’s wrong to put the responsibility on Russia, since it is NATO that has been making dangerous attempts to expand its presence on the Ukrainian territory and has been expanding its military potential near Russian borders,” the Kremlin said.
After the video call, Biden talked with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to update them on his conversation with Putin and consult with them on a way forward.
Biden plans to speak with congressional leaders about ways in which the administration and Congress can work together on a bipartisan basis to stand up for American interests and stand behind our friends and partners, Sullivan said.
Biden also plans to speak Thursday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sullivan said.
Michael Collins and Matthew Brown cover the White House. Follow Collins on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS and Brown @mrbrownsir.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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