Ukraine crisis: Biden urges diplomacy, threatens sanctions against Russia

Washington: US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said the United States is still pursuing a diplomatic solution to the current standoff between Russia and the West over Ukraine, meanwhile warning Russia of severe sanctions should it choose to invade its neighbor.

In televised remarks delivered from the White House on the evolving situation on Ukraine’s borders, Biden said his country is prepared “to engage in diplomacy with Russia and our allies and partners to improve stability and security in Europe as a whole”, Xinhua news agency reported.

He asserted that “if Russia chooses to invade Ukraine, the West will respond decisively.”

Biden said he agrees with a proposal from the Russian government to continue diplomatic negotiations, adding “we should give diplomacy every chance to succeed.”

He said he told Russian President Vladimir Putin during their phone call on Saturday that the US is willing to “keep pursuing high-level diplomacy” to negotiate “written understandings” with Russia.

The US President claimed that his country has “put on the table concrete ideas to establish security environment in Europe,” referring to a written document the United States submitted to Russia last month to address Moscow’s security concerns. (IANS)