Biden, Zelensky discuss Ukraine tensions over phone

Xinhua News Agency

WASHINGTON – U.S. President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, held a telephone conversation on Thursday (Jan. 27) to discuss the ongoing tensions on the Ukrainian border.

According to a statement released by the White House, Biden reaffirmed U.S. support to Ukraine, including “additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine’s economy amidst pressure.”

The U.S. president also noted that despite the departure of American family members of embassy personnel, the U.S. embassy in Kiev remains open and fully operational.

Biden, the statement said, also expressed Washington’s support for resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine through the Normandy Format, a mechanism established in 2014 that involves French, German, Russian, and Ukrainian diplomats.

The president said he hoped that a recommitment by the quadrilateral dialogue members to the July 2020 ceasefire agreement will help decrease tensions and advance the Minsk agreements. The agreements call for an immediate ceasefire between government troops in Kiev and armed groups in the Donbass region while seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

Zelensky said in a tweet that during the call the two leaders discussed “recent diplomatic efforts on de-escalation and agreed on joint actions for the future.” He also confirmed that “possibilities for financial support to Ukraine were also discussed.”

Also on Thursday, Deputy Chairman of Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United States are using Ukraine to gain geopolitical leverage.

“Ukraine, unfortunately, has turned, to some extent, into a toy in the hands of NATO and the United States, as Ukraine is used as a geopolitical instrument to exert pressure on Russia,” the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Medvedev as saying during his interview with Russian media outlets. (Xinhua) – bny

Popular

PBBM underscores public cooperation as key to better disaster response

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reiterated his call on the citizenry to remain on constant alert and exercise vigilant measures at...

PBBM lauds eGov app’s impact on Filipinos, hints at upcoming features

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. recognized the indispensable role of the eGov app in fast-tracking and streamlining the digitalization of government transactions and services,...

What’s next for the Marcos admin? Key agencies tackle food security, economic dev’t post-SONA 2025

https://www.youtube.com/live/hXRnysWZ6SM?si=GGc-0MxxrP1SXsvE By Brian Campued President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has reported the situation of the country—along with his administration’s progress, gains, and challenges in the past...

PBBM lauds improvements in PH labor market

By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. praised the wide-ranging achievements made by his administration on bolstering the country’s domestic labor market over...