US President Joe Biden and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke via telephone on Jan. 27, in discussions that at least one unnamed Ukrainian official characterized as heated.
While the White House released a readout of the call that made no mention of any disagreement, the Ukrainian government official said that Zelensky vehemently disagreed with Biden’s characterization that a Russian attack was imminent, according to CNN.
CNN reporter, Alex Marquardt, wrote on Twitter: 'A Russian invasion is now virtually certain once the ground freezes, Biden said to Zelensky.'
Kyiv could be “sacked,” Russian forces may attempt to occupy it, “prepare for impact”, Biden said, according to this official.
Biden also told Zelensky not to expect that U.S. or NATO troops would be sent into Ukraine should Russia invade or that Ukraine might obtain the latest and most lethal hi-tech military hardware.
Zelensky is said to have responded that while the situation on Ukraine’s borders was tense, it remained stable with no indication that Russian troops were preparing to move into Ukraine.
National Security Council spokeswoman, Emily Horne, disagreed with the CNN reporting:
“This is not true. President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February. He has previously said this publicly & we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false,” Horne noted in response to Marquardt’s assertions.
She added that a spokesperson for Zelensky had subsequently stated that “some reports regarding today’s conversation of President Zelenskyy and President Biden are completely false.”
The White House readout noted that, “President Biden reaffirmed the readiness of the United States along with its allies and partners to respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine. He also underscored the commitment of the United States to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It stated that “the leaders discussed coordinated diplomatic efforts on European security, underscoring the principle of ‘nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine’.”
