Biden, allies hold video call on Ukraine amid Russia assault
US President Joe Biden consulted with US allies on Tuesday on the latest developments in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the White House said on Tuesday as Moscow launched an all-out assault on eastern Ukraine.
The purpose of the call was "to discuss our continued support for Ukraine and efforts to hold Russia accountable as part of our close coordination," the White House said.
Russia seized its first town in eastern Ukraine as part of a fresh all-out assault that Ukraine has described as the Battle of the Donbas aimed at taking two provinces.
The United States sees Russia carrying out a "prelude" to larger, expected offensive operations in the eastern part of its neighboring country, a senior US official on Tuesday.
Biden's video call began at 9:57 a.m. EDT (1357 GMT) and ended at 11:21 a.m. EDT (1521 GMT), with Biden speaking from the White House Situation Room.
Among those on the call were Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as well as the leaders of Poland, Japan and Italy.
