Ukraine: Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin spoke

The U.S. president and his Russian counterpart exchanged on the phone on Saturday on Ukraine for a little over an hour.

  

Joe Biden has once again put Vladimir Putin on notice. The U.S. president warned his Russian counterpart of the severe and rapid repercussions that Moscow would suffer in the event of an attack on Ukraine, during a phone call lasting just over an hour on Saturday between the two leaders, the White House announced.

  

Joe Biden also reaffirmed that an invasion would cause considerable human suffering and would weaken Russia's position. The United States and its allies, who call for a diplomatic solution, are equally ready for other scenarios, he also told Vladimir Putin.

  

The long-awaited exchange, which was professional and rich, did not however lead to a fundamental change in the dynamics that we have been observing for several weeks now, said a U.S. official. According to this source, Washington put forward proposals that would improve European security and address some of Russia's concerns, while respecting Ukrainian sovereignty.

  

We still don't know if Russia is going to favor diplomacy over the use of force, said the official, adding that the stakes were too high not to give Russia every chance to withdraw. Moscow is already increasingly isolated from the rest of the world, and dependent on China, he added. The intense diplomatic ballet continues to try to avoid an armed conflict.