(Dan Tri) – US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed many `hot` issues at the second summit on December 7.
President Vladimir Putin attended a summit with President Joe Biden on December 7 (Photo: Reuters).
According to Reuters, the two Russian and US leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine and other tense issues during a 2-hour online conversation on December 7.
`President Biden expressed the deep concerns of the United States and its European allies about Russia’s strengthening of its forces around Ukraine,` the White House said in a statement immediately after the talks.
According to a White House statement, President Biden has `made clear that the United States and its allies will respond with economic and other strong measures in the event of military tensions escalating.`
In a statement released after the summit, the Kremlin said President Putin criticized NATO’s military activities near the Russian border.
`Russia is genuinely interested in obtaining reliable legal guarantees against NATO’s eastward expansion and the deployment of offensive weapons in countries adjacent to Russia,` the Kremlin stated.
Recent satellite images show that there may be up to 100,000 Russian soldiers concentrated in the area near the Ukrainian border, causing concern in Western countries.
President Joe Biden and US officials during the summit meeting with President Putin at the White House (Photo: Reuters).
Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said: `It is difficult to expect any sudden breakthroughs, but the two presidents have shown their readiness to continue exchanging practical work and start discussions.`
Mr. Ushakov said President Putin and President Biden emphasized the need for efforts to normalize bilateral relations and continue to cooperate on issues of mutual concern such as cybersecurity.
At the talks, the two sides agreed to continue to maintain contact and direct each side’s groups to consult on the Ukraine issue.
Attending the online summit, President Biden sat in the White House Situation Room with the US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor.
A Ukrainian official said that after the Russia-US talks, Ukraine is very grateful to President Biden for his `firm support` for Kiev.
Before his talks with the US President, Putin said that he considered Ukraine’s increasingly close alliance with Western countries a threat to Russia’s security and any move by Ukraine to join NATO or
`Russia has never planned to attack anyone. But we have our own red lines,` Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized.
