The leaders spoke on a secure call for about an hour on Saturday morning regarding the troop buildup around Ukraine, a White House official said on Saturday.

“President Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia’s standing,” the White House said.

A US official said the call produced no fundamental change and it was unclear if Russia would pursue diplomacy or military action.

While the United States was prepared to engage in diplomacy, Washington remained “equally prepared for other scenarios,” the White House added.

SABC