US President Joe Biden told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodimir Zelenski on Sunday, that Washington and its allies “will respond decisively” if Russia acts to invade its pro-Western neighbor, the White House reported.
Reporting on the phone talk between the two, White House press secretary Jen Psaki also said that Biden expressed support for the diplomatic efforts, including high-level talks between Russian and American officials scheduled for January 9-10 at Geneva.
“President Biden made it clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia does invade Ukraine,” Psaki said in a statement.
Biden also “reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he added.
The show of US support for Ukraine comes days after Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of the dire consequences if Moscow invades its neighbor.
Ukraine appreciates US support
Washington and its European allies accuse Russia of threatening Ukraine with a new invasion.
Some 100,000 Russian troops are concentrated near the country’s border, where Putin already seized the Crimea region in 2014, and is accused of fomenting a pro-Russian separatist war that broke out that same year in the east.
Moscow describes the presence of troops as protection against NATO expansion, despite the fact that Ukraine has not been invited to become a member of the military alliance.
For its part, Ukraine appreciates the “unwavering support” of the United States, said President Volodimir Zelenski on Sunday after speaking by phone with US President Joe Biden, at a time of tension with Russia.
“We appreciate the unwavering support for Ukraine,” Zelenski said on Twitter, explaining that he had spoken with Biden about “joint actions by Ukraine, the United States, and other partners to keep the peace in Europe and prevent an escalation,” at a time when He fears a possible Russian invasion of this neighboring country.
