MACRON SPEAKS WITH BIDEN AHEAD OF HIS TRIP TO MOSCOW

Mon 07 February 2022:

US President Joe Biden and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron discussed the situation in Ukraine over the phone Sunday, according to a White House statement.

The 40 minutes-long call allowed the two leaders to “share information about contacts made during the weekend” for good coordination ahead of the trip, the French Presidency said.

Macron is due on Monday to visit Russia, which has massed troops near Ukraine, stoking Western fears of an invasion.

“The leaders discussed ongoing diplomatic and deterrence efforts in response to Russia’s continued military buildup on Ukraine’s borders,” said the statement.

Both sides reaffirmed their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They agreed to remain in touch and will continue to consult with their allies and partners, including Ukraine.

Russian forces in 2014 invaded the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine and annexed the Crimean Peninsula.

As Russia masses more than 100,000 troops near the border, Moscow has said it could take unspecified military action if its security demands are not met. Those include a promise that NATO will never admit Ukraine, a demand the US and NATO have called unacceptable.

The US and its allies have warned of an imminent attack and threatened Russia with “severe consequences” if it further invades Ukraine.

But Moscow has denied that it is preparing to invade Ukraine and said its troops are there for exercises.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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