KIEV, Feb 14 (NNN-XINHUA) – Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, and U.S. President, Joe Biden, held a telephone conversation yesterday, to discuss the security situation around Ukraine.
Zelensky and Biden exchanged information and discussed ways of de-escalation, said a statement on the Ukrainian presidential website. The parties also discussed the issue of increasing Ukraine’s financial and energy stability amid the crisis.
Zelensky stressed that, Kiev understands all current risks and is ready for “any developments.”
The Ukrainian leader thanked Washington for the support, saying, it contributes to strengthening the capabilities of the Ukrainian army.
Zelensky invited Biden to visit Ukraine “in the coming days,” saying that, such a visit is crucial to stabilising the situation.
Zelensky also stressed the importance of providing effective security guarantees for Kiev. “We are ready to discuss them in different formats,” he stressed.
According to a statement by the White House, Biden made clear in the phone conversation that, the United States would “respond swiftly and decisively, together with its allies and partners, to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine.”
The two leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to “pursue diplomacy and deterrence, in response to Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s borders,” the statement added.
Since Nov, Kiev and some Western countries have accused Russia of assembling heavy troops near the Ukrainian border, with a possible intention of “invasion.”
Russia denied the accusation, saying that, Russia has the right to mobilise troops within its borders, to defend its territory as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s activities constitute a threat to Russia’s border security.
In recent days, the United States and some other countries have advised their citizens to leave Ukraine, citing increased threats of military action.– NNN-XINHUA
