U.
S.
President Joe Biden spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin via phone on Thursday, amid heightened tensions over Ukraine.
According to a statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the phone call, “Biden urged Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine and he made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine.
”
Biden also expressed support for diplomacy, starting early next year with the bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue, at NATO through the NATO-Russia Council, and at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Biden reiterated that substantive progress in these dialogues can occur only in an environment of de-escalation rather than escalation.
The two leaders spoke on Dec.
7 in a video conference that ended with a pledge to restart diplomatic discussions.
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Kamila/Xinhua
Biden, Putin hold phone call amid tensions over Ukraine
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