USA and France evaluate the costs they will impose on Russia in case of invading Ukraine

The president, Joe Biden, and the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, held a telephone conversation on Wednesday in which they coordinated to impose “severe costs” on Russia in the event that it proceeds with a military invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement, the White House reported the call, in which both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while reviewing their diplomatic coordination.

Biden and Macron agreed that their respective teams are in “close contact”, as well as with their NATO and European Union (EU) allies, when dealing with the border crisis in Ukraine.

Macron and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin , will meet by telephone on Thursday at 17 GMT hours to address the crisis in Ukraine, the fourth conversation between the two leaders since 21 of December, informed this Wednesday the Elíseo.

The announcement of this interview came shortly after Macron publicly backed the de-escalation of the crisis between Ukraine and Russia.

“For me, the priority on the question of Ukraine and the dialogue with Russia is de-escalation, finding a political way out of the crisis,” Macron told the press, shortly before the telephone interview with Putin was confirmed. The French head of state does not rule out traveling to Moscow or Kiev either.

For its part, the United States announced the deployment “in the next few days” of 3,000 soldiers in Romania, Poland and Germany to strengthen the defenses of their allies against a possible Russian attack against Ukraine, which is no longer considered “imminent”.

By order of Biden, about 1,000 soldiers will be sent to Romania, and 2,000 to Poland and Germany.

“The current situation demands that we reinforce the dissuasive and defensive posture on the eastern flank of NATO”, affirmed the Pentagon spokesman, John Kirby, at a press conference.