Biden, Verbündete besorgt über Ukraine, drängen auf Diplomatie

By Kanishka Singh

Feb 11 (Reuters) – President Joe Biden spoke on Friday with leaders of countries allied with the United States in which they raised concerns about the Russian military buildup around Ukraine and expressed a desire to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis, the White House said.

The leaders also agreed to make coordinated efforts to deter Russian aggression against Ukraine, including being prepared to impose „enormous consequences and serious economic costs“ on Russia if it opts for military escalation, the White House said after the videoconference.

They also discussed their readiness to continue to „strengthen the defensive posture on NATO’s eastern flank“ in the event of further escalation by Russia, the White House added.

The conversation was attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, among others.

Russia has massed enough troops near Ukraine to launch a major invasion, Washington had said early Friday, while urging all U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine within 48 hours after Moscow further toughened its response to Western diplomacy.

Biden will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday morning, a White House official said.