Kremlin: No breakthroughs expected at Biden-Putin talk

The Kremlin on Tuesday said no breakthroughs are expected from a video call between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin set to take place later in the day.

“There’s no need to expect any breakthroughs from this conversation. It is a working conversation at a very difficult period,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters.

Biden and Putin are scheduled to speak via video conference, a highly anticipated call between the two leaders as concerns mount regarding Russia’s military buildup at the Ukrainian border.

Moscow has amassed some 90,000 troops by the Ukrainian border, a worrying signal to the U.S. and European nations. Additionally, a U.S. intelligence document obtained by The Washington Post last week illustrated that Russia is planning a military offensive against Ukraine that involves 175,000 troops near the border, which could take place as soon as early next year.

Biden is expected to underscore to Putin that Moscow would pay a significant price if it invades Ukraine, while stressing that the U.S. prefers to settle matters diplomatically.

Hours before Tuesday’s call, the Kremlin spokesperson said that while Russia laments the U.S.’s predictable tendency to issue sanctions, Putin is prepared to listen to Biden’s concerns, according to Reuters. He also said the Russian president is looking to air his own concerns.

Peskov added that the rising tensions in Europe are “off the scale,” emphasizing the need for a conversation “at the highest level.”

“The escalation of tensions in Europe is off the scale, it is extraordinary, and this requires a personal discussion at the highest level,” he said, according to Reuters.

On Monday, Peskov said the bilateral relations between the U.S. and Russia were “lamentable.”

Peskov added that the two leaders would discuss “tensions around Ukraine,” NATO’s movements near its borders and Putin’s initiatives for security guarantees.