President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday the United States would react “swiftly and decisively” to any further Russian military action in Ukraine.
In a phone call, Biden reiterated that he stands by Ukraine’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to a White House readout of the call.
“President Biden made clear that the United States would respond swiftly and decisively, together with its Allies and partners, to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine,” the White House statement said.
“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 last time the two leaders spoke was Jan. 2, NBC News reported.
The Sunday call lasted about 50 minutes, and came a day after Biden warned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that the consequences of an invasion of Ukraine would be “swift and severe.” according to the White House.
Also Sunday, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby warned time is running out to negotiate a diplomatic resolution.
"We recognize the time component here seems to be shrinking. And that gives us all cause for concern," he said on "Fox News Sunday," while noting the Biden administration still believes in a "diplomatic path forward."
Biden told Putin in a call on Saturday, which lasted just over an hour, that the U.S. and its allies and partners “will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs” should Moscow move on its neighbor, the White House said.
Biden was “clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios," the White House said.
On Saturday, the State Department ordered the evacuation of most of its embassy employees in Kyiv "due to the continued threat of Russian military action," and the Pentagon also ordered the 160 members of the Florida National Guard that had been deployed to train Ukrainian forces to leave, NBC News reported.
Russia also indicated it was moving staff from its embassy in Kyiv.
Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.