U.S. President Joe Biden on April 2 held his first phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky amid Russian military buildup near Ukrainian borders.
According to the White House readout of the 45-minute talk, “Biden affirmed the U.S. unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression in the Donbas and Crimea.” The readout added that Biden committed support to “Zelensky’s plan to tackle corruption and implement a reform agenda.” Additionally: “They also discussed the importance of close U.S.-Ukraine cooperation to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen democracy in the region.”
Zelensky tweeted: “I was glad to talk to the president of the United States. Ukraine appreciates the support of the United States at various levels. We stand side by side when it comes to preserving our democracies. I am serious about reforming Ukraine, increasing transparency and achieving peace. The American partnership is crucial for Ukrainians.”
The conversation between the two leaders wasn’t announced in advance. It’s possible that it came in response to Russia’s military escalation. Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, said that the escalation “is systemic and the largest it’s been in recent years.”
On April 1, the U.S. Department of Defense stated its commitment “not to leave Ukraine alone” in case of a large-scale invasion by Russia. This was the first direct conversation between the two presidents. According to Politico, Biden was holding Ukraine at arm’s length and pushing for reforms in the country.
Also yesterday, Ukraine’s military intelligence asserted that Russia was considering an armed provocation in Donbas to create an excuse for an intervention to “protect Russian citizens” in the conflict zone.
According to Ukraine’s delegation to the Minsk peace talks, Russia refused to declare another ceasefire in Donbas after a series of armed clashes resulted in Ukrainian fatalities.
Later on April 1, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying that “any attempts to start a new military conflict in Ukraine’s war-torn east could end up destroying Ukraine.”
Read More: Tensions skyrocket as Russia masses forces near eastern Ukraine
The crisis escalated in late March when Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Ruslan Khomchak told parliament that Russia was expected to mass nearly 25 new battalion task groups in addition to the 28 that are already deployed near the Ukrainian border and in occupied Donbas. Russia’s assets include 28,000 militants and 2,000 Russian instructors in Donbas and 32,700 regular troops in Crimea.
On March 26, four Ukrainian military service members were killed and two more injured in action in the Donbas war zone as Russian-backed militants again attacked Ukrainian lines in the afternoon despite the current ceasefire.
The latest casualties raised Ukraine’s confirmed combat-related death toll to at least 22 amid the armistice that began on July 27. The latest incident was the deadliest attack since the start of the ceasefire.
Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, occupying Crimea and the eastern part of Donbas. Over 13,000 people were killed as a result of the Russian invasion.
