By: Ahmed Fathi
White House photo during a secure video teleconference from the Situation Room of the White House in Washington, Jan. 24, 2022.
Washington: Today, President Joseph Biden held a secure video conference call with transatlantic leaders. The leaders voiced worry about Russia's continuous buildup of armed forces near Ukraine and reaffirmed their support for the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. They highlighted their desire for a peaceful solution to the problem and spoke about recent meetings with Russia in a variety of venues.
The leaders agreed on the importance of coordinated efforts to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine, including their willingness to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia if it chooses military escalation, as well as to continue reinforcing NATO's eastern flank's defensive posture. They agreed to continue close consultations, including collaboration with and through NATO, the EU, the OSCE, and the UN.
Participants in the call included Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Comments