Biden Warned Putin of ’Severe Consequences’ If Russia Invades Ukraine

The video call between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin lasted about two hours. It will take months to figure out if the two sides managed to defuse the crisis over Ukraine. Biden sought to send a clear message: Russia must not go ahead with an invasion of Ukraine as the U.S. fears it might, and would face massive economic sanctions if it does. Putin, meanwhile, wanted the U.S. to know that Russia won’t tolerate NATO expanding further east or deploying weapons in Ukraine. The talks were “very open, substantive and constructive,” Putin told reporters in Sochi on Wednesday. Russia can’t but be concerned about the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO and “we proceed from the assumption that our concerns will be heard, at least this time,” he said, adding that the two sides agreed to set up a body to examine the issue in detail and that Russia would submit its proposals within a week.