US President Joe Biden arrives at the White House in Washington, DC, the United States on Jan 24, 2022. (TING SHEN / XINHUA)

MOSCOW / WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, held a telephone conversation Thursday to discuss the ongoing tensions on the Ukrainian border.

According to a statement released by the White House, Biden reaffirmed US support to Ukraine, including "additional macroeconomic support to help Ukraine's economy amidst pressure."

The US president also noted that despite the departure of American family members of embassy personnel, the US embassy in Kiev remains open and fully operational.

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Biden, the statement said, also expressed Washington's support for resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine through the Normandy Format, a mechanism established in 2014 that involves French, German, Russian and Ukrainian diplomats.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussing the security situation around Ukraine in Kiev, Ukraine, Jan 19, 2022. (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE / HANDOUT VIA XINHUA)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a tweet that during the call US President Joe Biden and him discussed "recent diplomatic efforts on de-escalation and agreed on joint actions for the future"

The president said he hoped that a recommitment by the quadrilateral dialogue members to the July 2020 ceasefire agreement will help decrease tensions and advance the Minsk agreements. The agreements call for an immediate ceasefire between government troops in Kiev and armed groups in the Donbass region while seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

Zelensky said in a tweet that during the call the two leaders discussed "recent diplomatic efforts on de-escalation and agreed on joint actions for the future." He also confirmed that "possibilities for financial support to Ukraine were also discussed."

Also on Thursday, Deputy Chairman of Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the United States are using Ukraine to gain geopolitical leverage.

"Ukraine, unfortunately, has turned, to some extent, into a toy in the hands of NATO and the United States, as Ukraine is used as a geopolitical instrument to exert pressure on Russia," the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Medvedev as saying during his interview with Russian media outlets. 

A video screenshot shows Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaking during a press conference in Moscow, Russia, Jan 14, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday that the recent responses presented by the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to Moscow's security proposals give grounds for the start of a discussion, but on secondary issues.

"As for the content of the document, there is a reaction there, which allows us to count on the beginning of a serious conversation, however on secondary issues," Lavrov said, adding that the responses did not contain a positive reaction to the main issue outlined in the original document.

According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Moscow would consider both the NATO and US responses together, and following an interdepartmental review, Russian President Vladimir Putin would make a decision on further steps

Lavrov explained that the main issue for Moscow was the "inadmissibility of NATO's further expansion to the East" and the deployment of strike weapons that would threaten Russia's security.

According to the foreign minister, Moscow would consider both the NATO and US responses together, and following an interdepartmental review, Russian President Vladimir Putin would make a decision on further steps.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday that the United States has delivered a written letter to Russia addressing Moscow's concerns amid escalating tensions on Ukraine's border.

According to Blinken, the country will not make the letter public and hopes that Russia will do the same, "because we think diplomacy has the best chance to succeed if we provide space for confidential talks."

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In December 2021, Russia sent a draft agreement to NATO and a draft treaty to the United States both on security guarantees in Europe for the Western countries to consider.