Putin reportedly warns Biden of 'complete rupture' of relations on call

(Image credit: Peter Klaunzer - Pool/Keystone via Getty Images)

published 31 December 2021

President Biden held another call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday amid continuing Ukraine tensions.

Biden during the call "urged Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine" and warned the U.S. and its allies "will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine," the White House said. "President Biden reiterated that substantive progress in these dialogues can occur only in an environment of de-escalation rather than escalation," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki added. This was the second call between Biden and Putin this month, CNN notes, and it came after Russia amassed troops on the Ukraine border.

The call was held at Putin's request, and the Russian leader warned Biden that any economic sanctions being placed on Russia in response to military action against Ukraine may result in a "complete rupture" of relations between the countries, The New York Times reported. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin warned that "many such mistakes have already been made over the past 30 years," and "therefore, it is advisable not to make such mistakes in this situation," according to The Washington Post.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox