Biden Responds To Putin’s Demands in Ukraine Standoff
With the ball now back in the Kremlin’s court, the West was given little immediate sign that Moscow would seek to de-escalate tensions and allay fears of a deadly new conflict.
Russia warned it was pessimistic but indicated it would take its time to study the written responses from the U.S. and NATO before deciding how to move forward.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said there were “few reasons for optimism” after the Western allies made it clear they would not accede to Russia’s key asks, but urged against a rush to conclusions.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters there was hope for “the start of a serious conversation” but clearly not on the fundamental issues raised by Russia, whose demands amounted to an effort to redraw Europe’s post-Cold War security landscape.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Thursday afternoon. After their call, Zelenskyy tweeted that the two leaders had discussed “diplomatic efforts on de-escalation and agreed on joint actions for the future” as well as the possibility of financial support to Ukraine.
He said he also thanked Biden “for the ongoing military assistance.”
In a briefing Thursday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby was asked about sending weaponry to Ukraine. “We are in constant communication with them about their needs and capabilities,” he said.
