Putin told Biden his security ideas do not tackle main Russian concerns

Biden and Putin spoke by telephone amid excessive pressure over a Russian army buildup close to Ukraine that has fuelled fears of a looming invasion. Russia has repeatedly denied any such plans.

In a briefing with reporters, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov described the decision as business-like, however mentioned it had taken place in opposition to a backdrop of “hysteria” within the West a couple of looming Russian invasion that he mentioned was absurd.

Ushakov mentioned Biden had requested for the decision to happen on Saturday because of the rising hysteria.

“Biden predictably talked about attainable powerful anti-Russian sanctions within the context of the tense state of affairs round Ukraine, however that was not the main focus of his somewhat prolonged dialog with the Russian chief,” Ushakov mentioned.

He mentioned Biden laid out various concerns to handle the array of safety calls for that Russia made from the West late final yr, together with a veto on Ukraine ever becoming a member of NATO.

“I’ll instantly word that the Russian president reacted within the spirit that the Russian facet would fastidiously analyse the concerns expressed by Biden and would undoubtedly take them under consideration,”

“However sadly, and this was mentioned, these concerns don’t contact upon the central, key parts of Russian initiatives,” the Kremlin official mentioned.

Ushakov mentioned Biden’s concepts largely repeated the concepts set out within the US and NATO counter-proposals to Russia’s safety calls for that have been handed over on Jan. 26.

He mentioned Russia had virtually completed drawing up its response to these counterproposals and would announce them quickly.

Putin advised Biden he thought the West was not placing sufficient stress on Ukraine to implement the Minsk peace agreements on the battle in east Ukraine, Ushakov mentioned.