Biden, Putin stake out Ukraine positions in 50-minute call

WILMINGTON/MOSCOW • US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin exchanged warnings over Ukraine but also conveyed some optimism that diplomatic talks this month could ease spiralling tensions.

In a 50-minute call on Thursday, their second conversation this past month, Mr Biden said he needed to see Russia decrease its military build-up near Ukraine, while Mr Putin said sanctions threatened by Washington and allies could lead to a rupture in ties. The call was requested by Mr Putin.

"President Biden reiterated that substantive progress in these dialogues can occur only in an environment of de-escalation rather than escalation," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the call created a "good backdrop" for future talks.

The leaders' exchange set the stage for lower-level engagement between the countries, including a Jan 9-10 security meeting, followed by a Russia-Nato session on Jan 12, and a broader conference including Russia, the US and other European countries set for Jan 13.

Despite the talk of diplomacy, the tone of the conversation was described by officials on both sides as "serious".

And neither country detailed significant progress towards a resolution or the outlines of any deal.

In the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, leaders worry about the 60,000 to 90,000 Russian troops that have gathered to the north, east and south of the country.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) security alliance has been making its own preparations from the west.

Washington has not been convinced by a report over the weekend that Moscow would be pulling back about 10,000 troops, with officials saying they have seen little evidence of a drawdown.

The US deployed its Jstars military plane in Ukrainian airspace for the first time earlier this week, although different types of surveillance aircraft are common in the region.

For his part, Mr Biden reiterated his threat of unprecedented sanctions if Russia chose to invade Ukraine. "Biden laid out two paths", including diplomacy and deterrence, as well as "serious costs and consequences", said a senior administration official.

Aides have said the possibilities include measures that would effectively disconnect Russia from the global financial system, while further arming Nato.

Mr Ushakov said President Putin "immediately responded" that any sanctions now or later "could lead to a complete breakdown in ties between our countries".

He added: "Our President also mentioned that it would be a mistake that our descendants would see as a huge error."

Russia's troop deployments over the past two months have alarmed the West, following its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014 and its backing of separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Moscow denies planning to attack Ukraine and says it has the right to move its troops on its own soil as it likes.

Meanwhile, German leader Olaf Scholz has firmly backed Ukraine by underlining the "inviolability of borders" in his first New Year's speech as Chancellor yesterday.

The clear warning to Russia marks a rare message for a New Year's speech typically dedicated to domestic issues.

"With a view on Ukraine, there are currently new challenges here. The inviolability of borders is a valuable asset - and non-negotiable," Mr Scholz said.

In his speech, Mr Scholz also described transatlantic cooperation between the US and the European Union as "indispensable" for European security.

But he also called for greater global cooperation and for a "sovereign and strong Europe" capable of standing up for itself.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE