White House: Unlikely

White House: Unlikely

U.S. President Joseph Biden told Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, in a conversation that lasted about an hour, that the United States would respond quickly and decisively if Russia took further steps toward invasion, the White House said in a statement.

The call came at a time when the United States is warning that the Russian invasion of Ukraine could happen this week, CNN reported.

As it is stated, Biden made it clear that the United States will respond quickly and decisively, together with its allies and partners, to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of continuing diplomacy and deterrence in response to Russia's military build-up on Ukraine's borders, the statement said. A senior Ukrainian official said Zelensky renewed calls for Washington to provide more military and financial support to Ukraine and asked Biden to visit Ukraine as soon as possible.

The White House did not want to comment on the invitation for Biden to visit Ukraine. U.S. officials say Biden's trip to Ukraine is unlikely.

The official, who has information about the conversation, told CNN that Zelensky took advantage in the phone call to propose, as the official described, concrete ideas for reducing the Russian threat to Ukraine, such as providing greater military support to Ukraine, including more advanced weapons.

Zelensky also stressed Biden's need for a significant financial aid package for Ukraine, the official said. Zelensky previously expressed dissatisfaction with the constant assessments of the war and said that such warnings had a negative effect on the economy and the national currency.

The American network CNN quoted an unnamed Ukrainian official as saying that Biden's positive answer to that idea was missing.

Zelensky thanked the United States for their support and said that Ukraine understands the threats to which it is exposed and that it is ready for any scenario.