US President Biden warns Putin of 'severe' costs if Russia invades Ukraine in 62-mins call

With the risk of war looming large, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart Joe Biden held a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday. The conversation between the two leaders lasted for a little over an hour and took place in the wake of increased US concerns about the possibility of Russian action in Ukraine. According to a senior US official, Biden’s call with Putin was “professional and substantive”, however, there has been no change in the fundamental dynamics of Russian escalation along Ukraine’s border and there still remains a possibility of a Russian invasion. 

According to a White House statement, Biden spoke to Putin about Russia’s escalating military buildup. During the phone call, the US President reiterated that a Russian invasion would “produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia’s standing”. Biden also told the Kremlin leader that while the United States was prepared to engage in diplomacy, it was “equally prepared” for other scenarios. 

"President Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia. President Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia's standing," the White House said in a statement. 

“It added that Biden "was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios."

Separately, according to CNN, a senior Biden administration official told reporters on Saturday that the call between the two presidents was “professional and substantive” but there was “no fundamental change” in the dynamic that has been unfolding for several weeks. The official said that Biden and his Russian counterpart agreed that the two nations will stay engaged in the days ahead. 

“Russia may decide to proceed with military action anyway. Indeed, that is a distinct possibility,” the official added. 

Further, he also went on to state that Biden reiterated the US' ideas on how to enhance European security while also addressing some of Russia's security concerns. However, according to the official, Biden also noted that it “remains unclear whether Russia is interested in pursuing its goals diplomatically”. When asked if Russia has made a decision to invade, the official said that the US does not have full visibility into Putin’s decision making. 

But he also went on to add that the US is now not basing the assessment on what Russians say publicly. “We are basing his assessment on what we are seeing on the ground ... which is a continued Russian buildup on the border with Ukraine, and no meaningful evidence of de-escalation, or really of any interest in de-escalation,” he added. 

US 'encouraging provocations by Ukrainian forces'

On the other hand, according to CNN, Russian Presidential aide Yury Ushakov described Saturday’s phone call as “balanced and businesslike”. However, he added that the US and NATO had failed to address Russia’s main security concerns. Ushakov stated that the call took place in an atmosphere of “hysteria” about the supposedly imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine by American officials. He added that the pressure around the topic of the invasion was carried out in a coordinated manner and the hysteria has reached its climax 

According to Ushakov, Biden told Putin he was "committed to the diplomatic path and had laid out a range of considerations that he sees as addressing many of Russia's concerns." Putin said the US and its allies had been "pumping up" Ukraine with new weaponry and encouraging provocations by Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region and in Crimea, Ushakov added, as quoted by CNN. 

Russia-Ukraine border tensions 

Meanwhile, it is to mention that Moscow has already surrounded Ukraine with more than 100,000 troops, along with military hardware and equipment, stirring fears of an invasion. Even though Russia has denied that the country is planning an invasion, the US and several other EU nations are moving thousands of troops to Eastern Europe in order to defend their allies. 

The US intelligence has indicated that a large-scale invasion by Russia could lead to the deaths of 50,000 civilians and the fall of the government in Kyiv within two days. On the other hand, Moscow called those predictions “scaremongering”. Russia also continues to reiterate that it has no plans to attack any country.

(Image: AP)