US President Joe Biden spoke on Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, promising that the US and allies will act “decisively” if Russia further invades Ukraine.
Biden and Zelensky's call comes amid the Russian troop buildup near its border with Ukraine.
“President Biden made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement following the call, according to The Associated Press.
Psaki added that Biden underscored his commitment to the principle of “nothing about you without you,” the tenant that it won't negotiate policy that impacts Europe without its allies' input.
Zelensky said in a Twitter posting after the call that “keeping peace in Europe, preventing further escalation, reforms, deoligarchization were discussed.”
“We appreciate the unwavering support,” he added.
Biden’s conversation with Zelensky came three days after he held a 50-minute call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A statement from the White House said that Biden “urged Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine. He made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine.”
“President 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. President Biden reiterated that substantive progress in these dialogues can occur only in an environment of de-escalation rather than escalation,” added the statement.
On Friday, Biden told reporters day that he warned Putin that his economy would pay a “heavy price” if Russia, which has massed some 100,000 troops near the border, made further moves against Ukraine.
“I'm not going to negotiate here in public, but we made it clear that he cannot - I emphasize cannot - move on Ukraine,” Biden said Friday.