Ukraine says Biden-Putin call enabled ‘deterrence and de-escalation’

Ukraine’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that the country is open to better relations between the United States and Russia, noting that the recent call between President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin enabled “deterrence and de-escalation.”

“The contact itself serves [as] deterrence and de-escalation,” Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement to Reuters. “We appreciate the crucial diplomatic engagement of the U.S. in efforts to bring Russia back to the table of negotiations.”

The diplomat added that he would like to see a deterrence package prioritized in order to curb the possibility of further military escalation from Moscow, Reuters noted.

During Tuesday’s call, Biden reportedly requested that Russia abstain from launching a new offensive against Ukraine, warning of “strong economic and other measures.” Putin, meanwhile, demanded that NATO refrain from further expanding eastward, the news service noted.

Kuleba told Reuters that he is hopeful that Biden’s message got through to Putin.

“Putin heard some very clear and strong signals regarding Russia’s escalation along the border of Ukraine and in the region,” he said

Ties between Ukraine and Russia have been strained since 2014 when Moscow sent military forces into eastern Ukraine. Nearly 14,000 people have reportedly been killed in fighting between the two countries since then.

Biden is set to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday, a move that Kuleba said will allow both leaders to further how to deter Russia, Reuters noted.

“Currently, as we see a clear lack of constructiveness on the Russian side, the main priority is to effectively implement the comprehensive deterrence package to demotivate Russia from further military escalation,” Kuleba said. “We are working closely with our allies on both sides of the Atlantic to achieve that.”