President Joe Biden spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday as tensions between the United States and Russia have risen drastically in recent days. U.S. intelligence reports indicate Russia may be planning to launch a large scale offensive involving 175,000 troops against Ukraine in early 2022. A White House statement released after the two leaders’ conversation says Biden “called for deescalation and a return to diplomacy.”
Prioritizing diplomacy is a step in the right direction. However, rhetoric alone will not lead to any real resolution to the crisis. To prevent the devastation of Ukraine and reduce the risk of the United States engaging in a counterproductive war with the only other nuclear superpower, Biden’s diplomatic efforts will require addressing the underlying cause of the conflict in Ukraine: NATO expansion.
