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Biden, Scholz discuss results of their talks with Putin and Zelensky — White House

The US and German leaders discussed their respective conversations with President Putin and President Zelensky regarding Russia’s continued military build-up on Ukraine’s borders

US President Joe Biden AP Photo/Alex Brandon

US President Joe Biden

© AP Photo/Alex Brandon

WASHINGTON, February 17. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the results of their recent talks with Russian and Ukrainian Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky, the White House said on Wednesday after their telephone conversation.

The US and German leaders "discussed their respective conversations with President Putin and President Zelensky regarding Russia’s continued military build-up on Ukraine’s borders," it said. "They reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and underscored the importance of continued transatlantic coordination on diplomacy and deterrence measures and the reinforcement of NATO’s eastern flank if Russia further invades Ukraine."

The West and Kiev have recently been echoing allegations about Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these claims as "empty and unfounded", serving as a ploy to escalate tensions, pointing out that Russia did not pose any threat whatsoever to anyone. However, Peskov did not rule out the possibility of provocations aimed at justifying such claims and warned that attempts to use military force to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine would have serious consequences.

After his talks with Scholz in Moscow on Tuesday, Putin stressed that Russia doesn’t want a war and that is why it came out with an initiative to hold talks on ensuring equal security in Europe.

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