Jake Sullivan briefing press now echoes what was in the White House readout following Biden-Putin call. Sullivan says their conversation was "direct and straight-forward and "there was no finger-wagging."
After the call, Biden spoke with leaders in France, Germany, Italy, and the UK to brief them on the Putin call. Biden to speak with Zelensky on Thursday, Sullivan says. Zelensky's office told me earlier they'd hoped to speak to Biden today.
Sullivan, if Russia does invade Ukraine again, says NATO members will get more help from US, which already has US military service members in Europe, Baltic countries. Additional security capabilities on the table for them. But doesn't say what, if anything, US would give Ukraine
Sullivan says Biden "made no commitments or concessions" to Putin in regards to the Russian president's red lines, including his demand that NATO take future membership for Ukraine off the table.
Oh. Sullivan DID say further military assistance for Ukraine would be given if Russia invaded yet again.
Sullivan says White House has had "intensive conversations" with the outgoing and incoming German government in the context of Nord Stream 2 but doesn't say what they discussed to do if Russia were to further invade Ukraine.
Sullivan says Ukraine has come forward with "instructive ideas to move diplomacy forward" but doesn't get specific. "We believe that that is good and positive" and Presidents Biden and Zelensky will discuss these more Thursday.
A key message from Sullivan about what the US is ready to do should Russia further invade Ukraine was this: "Things we did not do in 2014, we are prepared to do now."
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