WASHINGTON, January 28. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden told his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky in a phone conversation on Thursday that Washington was looking into the possibility of providing additional economic assistance to Kiev, the White House press service said in a statement.

"President Biden reaffirmed the readiness of the United States along with its allies and partners to respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine," the document says. "He also underscored the commitment of the United States to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."

"President Biden noted the United States has provided Ukraine with over half a billion dollars in development and humanitarian assistance in the last year, and is exploring additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine’s economy amidst pressure resulting from Russia’s military build-up," the White House said. "President Biden made clear that despite the departure of American family members of embassy personnel, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, remains open and fully operational."

"The leaders discussed coordinated diplomatic efforts on European security, underscoring the principle of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine." President Biden relayed the United States’ support for conflict resolution efforts in the Normandy Format, expressing his hope that the sides’ recommitment on January 26 to the terms of the July 2020 ceasefire will help decrease tensions and advance the implementation of the Minsk Agreements," it said.

Recently, claims of Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine have become frequent in Ukraine and Western states. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called such reports empty and groundless escalation of tensions, underscoring that Russia does not pose any threat to anyone. Peskov noted that provocations may happen in order to justify such claims and warned that such attempts will bear the most serious consequences.