Biden Plans to Raise Ukraine During Call With Putin on Tuesday

  • U.S. president to voice concern about Russian troop buildup
  • Defense secretary says there’s space for diplomacy with Moscow

President Joe Biden

Photographer: Oliver Contreras/Sipa/Bloomberg

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President Joe Biden will reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty in the face of a Russian military buildup when he holds a video call with President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, according to a White House statement.

The diplomatic effort, which the Kremlin announced earlier Saturday, follows weeks of escalating tension over Russian encroachment on its neighbor. A senior administration official said Friday that U.S. intelligence had concluded the Kremlin was planning an offensive against Ukraine as soon as next year involving an estimated 175,000 personnel.