Biden raises concerns with Putin about Ukraine confrontation
President Joe Biden has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin, directly raising concerns about the Russian military buildup on Ukraine's border.
Mr Biden told Mr Putin the US would "act firmly in defence of its national interests" regarding Russian cyber intrusions and election interference, according to the White House.
Mr Biden also proposed a summit meeting in a third country "in the coming months" to discuss the full range of US-Russia issues, the White House said.
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President Joe Biden spoke with President Vladimir Putin, the White House said. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) AP
The call comes amid a surge of ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine, where Russia-baсked separatists and Ukrainian forces have been locked in a conflict since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
More than 14,000 people have died in fighting in eastern Ukraine and efforts to negotiate a political settlement have stalled.
Western and Ukrainian officials have raised concerns about increasingly frequent ceasefire violations in the conflict area.
Reports of Ukraine's military casualties have been occurring daily over the past week, and rebels also have reported losses.
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