Biden and Putin Hold 50-Minute Phone Call to Discuss 'Ukraine Issue'

U.S. President Joe Biden (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin
[Photo by AFP TASS Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Ukraine issue during a 50-minute phone call on the 30th (local time).

According to AP News and others, the White House announced that the two leaders spoke for 50 minutes from 3:35 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. Eastern Time. President Biden and President Putin exchanged views via phone call 23 days after their virtual summit on the 7th.

President Biden, spending the year-end in Delaware, made the call from his home in Wilmington. The phone call was made at President Putin's request. Russia has recently deployed 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, heightening tensions, and the West is anticipating a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine early next year.

During the call, President Biden reportedly expressed strong concern over Russia's troop buildup near Ukraine and demanded an immediate withdrawal of forces to ease tensions. President Putin dismissed invasion concerns but is believed to have pressured the U.S. to accept Russia's security guarantees, including a ban on NATO's eastward expansion.

Russia seeks official assurances that Ukraine and other former Soviet states will not join NATO. On the 17th, Russia publicly presented its security demands, including a ban on NATO expansion.

The U.S. and Russia plan to hold a series of meetings next month to discuss the Ukraine issue. On the 10th, the first round of talks on security guarantees will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, with representatives from both countries' foreign and defense ministries. This will be followed by Russia-NATO talks on the 12th and Russia-Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) talks on the 13th. The OSCE is a pan-European security forum that includes NATO member states, former Soviet countries, and all European nations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.