President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to speak via video conference call on Tuesday, as frictions between the two countries continue to escalate.
However, commentators agree while the main focus will be on Ukraine, it will be difficult for Russia and the United States to reach an agreement on a single issue.
On Saturday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced Biden will express concerns about Russian “military operations” along the border with Ukraine and solidify the United States’ commitment to the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Russia’s Worries with Ukraine in NATO
Putin will be on the phone with worries of his own; he wants to underline Russia’s objection to any effort to admit Ukraine to the NATO military alliance. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the presidents will determine how long their meeting will go.
Recent years have seen a deterioration in ties between the United States and Russia. The United States accused Russia of stationing military forces near Ukraine’s border; Russia accused the United States of engaging in military operations that endanger regional security.
Per the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the engagement of the United States and NATO in Ukraine would have the most catastrophic implications, emphasizing that Moscow desires long-term security assurances on its western frontiers.
Russia has no right to a 'sphere of influence', says head of NATO. pic.twitter.com/GvX77R6b7M
— Paul Robinson (@Irrussianality) December 1, 2021
The United States has not welcomed Russia to its Democracy Summit, which will take place from December 9 to 10.
Peskov claimed the guest list, which was made public on the website of the United States State Department, demonstrated Washington loves to draw new boundaries between nations, separating them into acceptable ones vs. undesirable ones.
In an interview with the Global Times on Sunday, Yang Jin (an independent research associate at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European, and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences) said the entire dynamic between Russia and the West has reached a highly difficult point.
The likelihood of fresh conflicts arising in Ukraine is also progressively growing, as evidenced by the fact the United States and Russia must communicate in order to handle dangers.
Attention from Other World Powers
Hostilities between the two main countries have drawn international attention, with people all around the world taking notice.
According to experts, talks between the United States and Russia constitute routine communication for China. The tensions between the United States and Russia are fundamental in nature, and a conference or a virtual meeting will do little to ease them.
There are more Russian troops outside Russia in countries bordering NATO than there are US troops outside the US in countries bordering Russia. Here is the map 👇🏻 https://t.co/4x96LdLItx pic.twitter.com/oQ9E8lMqU8
— Luke Coffey (@LukeDCoffey) November 22, 2021
In his remarks, Yang stated China’s priority in Ukraine should be to defend its own people, as well as its own financial interests. His statement also expressed the hope the climate in Ukraine would stay peaceful and stable, and that problems and conflicts would be handled via conversation and consultation.
Furthermore, China must refrain from taking sides in the conflict.
