Independent
US and Russian officials are set to meet for talks in Geneva starting on
President Joe Biden is set to speak by phone with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday, days before US and Russian officials meet for talks in hopes of lowering tensions that have continued to rise during successive build-ups of Russian troops along the Ukraine-Russia border.
According to a senior White House official who briefed reporters Wednesday afternoon, the call between the two leaders is being arranged at the request of Mr Putin and his representatives.
While the official said Mr Biden “has always believed there is no substitute for direct leader-to-leader dialogue and engagement” and welcomes the opportunity to speak with his counterpart, they offered no information on why Mr Putin felt the need to speak with Mr Biden at this time.
“I cannot speak to why the Russian side has requested this call…I think both leaders believe that there is genuine value in direct leader to leader engagement, that we are at a moment of crisis and have been for some weeks now given the Russian build-up and it will take a high level of engagement to address this and to try to find a path of de-escalation,” the official said.
US and Russian officials are set to begin talks on nuclear arms control and the status of Ukraine in Geneva on 10 January. A US delegation will be led by State Department officials, and will…
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