The Ukrainian president said that US leader’s arrival in Kiev would help “de-escalate” the situation
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, has asked Joe Biden from the United States to fly into Kiev “in the coming days.”Zelensky made the invitation during a telephone call to Biden on Sunday. This comes after several countries, including the US, have ordered all their diplomats out of Kiev due to fears of an invasion by Russia.
“I am convinced that your arrival in Kyiv in the coming days, which are crucial for stabilizing the situation, will be a powerful signal and contribute to de-escalation,”Biden was told by Zelensky according to a statement from his press office.
While the US, UK and Israel have all urged Ukrainian nationals to flee Ukraine, Zelensky insists that Kiev as well as major cities in Ukraine are being evacuated. “safe and under reliable protection.”
The trip to Kiev, however, does not appear to be on Biden’s schedule, CNN reported, citing US officials saying that such a visit would be “extremely likely.” “A senior Ukrainian official” told the channel tha Biden gave “no positive response” to the invitation during the call.
The White House’s readout of the Sunday call makes no mention of the invitation either. The White House’s Sunday call reads that Biden had promised Zelensky. “respond swiftly and decisively, together with its Allies and partners, to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine.”
Numerous media outlets tried to predict when Russia would invade. Bloomberg reports that the invasion will take place on Wednesday. Despite Russia insisting its intention to not invade Ukraine, Bloomberg is reporting it as likely. After US officials repeated their belief that Russia might launch an offensive military in Ukraine, “any day now”Warning of the possibility “false flag” operation by Russia, Zelensky on Saturday demanded to know what intelligence the US is basing the prediction upon.
According to reports, Zelensky and Biden disagreed over whether there was a possibility of military conflict during their January phone conversation. Zelensky recently complained that recurrent warnings by Western officials and media of a looming threat of a Russian invasion are destabilizing Kiev’s economy.
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