Zelenskyy and Joe Biden, Presidents of Ukraine and the United States, had a telephone conversation on February 13 in the evening. The main subject of the conversation that lasted more than an hour was the security situation around Ukraine. The conversation took place amid the US reports of a possible Russian offensive as early as this week.
What the White House reported about the conversation
The White House press office reported that "Biden has made clear that the United States, along with its allies and partners, will respond swiftly and decisively to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine."
"The two Both on the importance of continuing to pursue diplomacy and deterrence in response to Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s borders," the document reads.
What the Office of the President reported about the conversation
The Office of the President commented more wordily on the conversation between the two leaders. According to the agency, Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian side understands all the current risks and is ready for any developments.
«We will stop any escalation towards Ukraine. The capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, and other cities of our state—Kharkiv and Lviv, Dnipro and Odesa—are safe and under reliable protection.»
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
Zelenskyy and Biden also discussed the sanctions that would await Russia in case of a new invasion.
Moreover, the Ukrainian President invited his counterpart to visit Kyiv in the near future.
"I am convinced that your arrival in Kyiv in the coming days, which are crucial for stabilizing the situation, will be a powerful signal and contribute to de-escalation."
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
What details became known to the American media
According to CNN, citing a US senior official, Biden's visit to Ukraine is "highly unlikely."
The channel’s interlocutors also reported about Zelensky’s request to provide Kyiv with additional assistance that "will show (Russian President Vladimir–
) Putin that the West stands with Ukraine and that Putin’s escalation will bear no fruit."
Upon CNN's request, the White House officials stated the Biden administration was exploring "additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine's economy" amid the Russian military buildup.
Context. On Sunday, Joe Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned that Moscow could resort to another invasion of Ukraine as early as this week. He clarified that the attack on Ukrainian territory could take place before the end of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing that ends on February 20.
According to U.S. intelligence estimates, more than 100,000 Russian troops are deployed near the Ukrainian border. Over the past week, according to their estimates, their number has increased by several thousand more.
Amid escalating tensions around Ukraine, first the United States, and then at least 10 other countries, recommended citizens to leave Ukraine. These included Australia, Britain, Canada, Norway, Latvia, Estonia, the Netherlands, Montenegro, South Korea, and Japan.
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