The call was requested by Putin, according to an administration official, and Biden accepted because “he believes that as far as Russia is concerned, there is no substitute for direct chief-chief dialogue.”
Horne added that “the Biden administration continues to conduct extensive diplomacy with our European allies and partners, consulting and coordinating on a common approach in response to Russia’s military build-up on the border with Ukraine. President Biden spoke to leaders from across Europe, and officials in the Biden administration have engaged multilaterally with (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization), the (European Union) and the (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe). They also held extensive consultations with their counterparts, including those in the eastern flank countries bilaterally. And in (Bucharest Nine) format as well as in Ukraine. “
The Bucharest Nine is a reference to the nine European nations that form the eastern edge of NATO: Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.
Biden plans to give an overview of the upcoming bilateral talks between the United States and Russia to be held on Jan. 10, the official said, and will also discuss NATO-Russia and Organization for Security and Cooperation meetings. in Europe scheduled for January 12 and 13. Closing consultation with US allies and partners has been “a priority for the administration from the start,” the official said, and Biden will point this out to Putin as well.
With that in mind, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday about the lingering tensions and announced Biden’s next call with Putin, according to the State Department.
But US and Russian officials have agreed to sit down for security talks on January 10, where “Russia can put its concerns on the table, and we will also put our concerns on the table with Russia’s activities.” an NSC spokesperson said on Tuesday. . The State Department will lead the delegation, the administration official said on Wednesday.
The status of the talks does not depend on the initial withdrawal of its forces by Russia, a White House official said on Tuesday, because the Biden administration still believes diplomacy is the most responsible route “even if we don’t get it. not all we want “.
U.S. officials plan to consult regularly with Ukraine in parallel as negotiations with Russia take place next month, the White House official told CNN.