President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin to speak Thursday as Ukraine tensions rise
President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to speak Thursday as relations between the U.S. and Russia approach “a moment of crisis,” amid Russian troops massing near the Ukraine border. The two leaders are hoping to ease the tension through diplomacy, but a senior White House official told reporters the U.S. is prepared to respond with harsh sanctions if Russia advances into Ukraine. “I think both leaders believe there is genuine value in direct leader-to-leader engagement, that we are in a moment of crisis and have been for some weeks now, given the Russian build-up,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to reporters. “It will take a high level of engagement to address this and to try to find a path to deescalation,” the official continued. Bu...