US assures Ukraine of 'swift and decisive' response to any further Russian aggression

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - US President Joe Biden assured his Ukrainian counterpart on Sunday that the US would "respond swiftly and decisively" to any further Russian aggression.

In a phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden "reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity," said a White House readout of the conversation.

The American president also "made clear that the United States would respond swiftly and decisively, together with its Allies and partners, to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine."

Biden and Zelensky "agreed on the importance of continuing to pursue diplomacy and deterrence in response to Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s borders," it added.

The US has previously made clear that its response to an invasion of Ukraine would not be military engagement with Russia but rather punishing sanctions.

The US on Friday warned that Russia could invade Ukraine “at any time” even amid frenzied diplomatic efforts to avoid war.

Ukraine has been plagued by conflict in its eastern regions since March 2014, following Russia’s invasion and annexation of Crimea.

Moscow recently amassed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, prompting fears that the Kremlin could be planning another military offensive against its ex-Soviet neighbor.

Russia has denied it is preparing to invade and accused Western countries of undermining its security through NATO’s expansion towards its borders.

The Kremlin also issued a list of security demands to the West, including a rollback of troop deployments from some ex-Soviet states, and guarantees that Ukraine and Georgia would not join NATO.