Ukraine Expects Deescalation After Putin-Biden Talks - Official

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2021) Ukraine expects diplomatic activity to achieve deescalation of the Ukrainian issue after talks between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the senior adviser to the presidential administration of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak, told RBC-Ukraine on Tuesday.

"These talks between presidents Biden and Putin are part of a broad dialogue that began six months ago, which is not limited to just one or several high-level talks ... The tone of the statements and basic positions of the American side unambiguously lean toward the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We expect reliable deescalation in the region as the result of talks," Podolyak said.

Putin and Biden held two-hour bilateral talks on Tuesday evening in the format of video conference. The discussion of the Ukrainian issue took most of the presidents' attention. Biden expressed concerns over movement of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border. Putin responded that NATO was making dangerous attempts to conquer Ukrainian territory and was building up its military potential at Russian borders. Moreover, the Russian president highlighted that Moscow was interested in obtaining reliable, legally fixed guarantees that NATO would not expand eastward and would not deploy offensive weapons in countries bordering Russia.