President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak in a video conference as tensions between the US and Russia escalate over a Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border seen as a sign of a potential invasion.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed plans on Saturday to Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti and said it will take place Tuesday evening. Peskov added “the presidents will decide themselves” how long the conversation will last.
White House did not immediately comment on the announcement.
Russia is more adamant than ever that the US guarantees that Ukraine will not be admitted to the NATO military alliance.
US intelligence officials, meanwhile, have determined that Russia has massed about 70,000 troops near its border with Ukraine and has begun planning for a possible invasion as soon as early next year, according to a Biden administration official, who was not authorised to discuss that finding publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The risks for Putin of going through with such an invasion would be enormous. Credit: aljazeera.com
