A call between Democrat President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday “did not go well” due to differences between the “risk levels” of a Russian attack, according to a new report from CNN. However, officials from both countries dispute the report’s validity.
“On the call, which the Ukrainian official described as ‘long and frank,’ Biden warned his Ukrainian counterpart that a Russian attack may be imminent, saying that an invasion was now virtually certain, once the ground had frozen later in February, according to the official,” CNN reported. “Zelensky, however, restated his position that the threat from Russia remains ‘dangerous but ambiguous,’ and it is not certain that an attack will take place, the official said.”
“The White House, however, disputed the official’s account, warning that anonymous sources were ‘leaking falsehoods.’ They did state that Biden warned Zelensky an imminent invasion is a ‘distinct possibility,’” the report said.
According to CNN, National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne disputed the Ukrainian official’s description of the call.
“Anonymous sources are ‘leaking’ falsehoods,” Horne told CNN. “President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February. He has said this publicly and we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false.”
Ukraine officials also denied the report, saying that CNN’s reports were “completely false.”
“President of #Ukraine’s spokesperson stated that some reports regarding today’s conversation of President Zelenskyy and President Biden are completely false. He also encouraged to carefully treat all information in this troubled time especially from the unconfirmed sources,” the Ukrainian Embassy tweeted.
President of #Ukraine’s spokesperson stated that some reports regarding today’s conversation of President Zelenskyy and President Biden are completely false. He also encouraged to carefully treat all information in this troubled time especially from the unconfirmed sources. pic.twitter.com/68mZ9tGNSm
— UKR Embassy in USA (@UKRintheUSA) January 28, 2022
