Biden and Macron talk ‘diplomatic and deterrence efforts’ ahead of French president’s Moscow trip

President Biden spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday about Russia’s military buildup along its border with Ukraine.

“The leaders discussed ongoing diplomatic and deterrence efforts in response to Russia’s continued military build-up on Ukraine’s borders, and affirmed their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the White House said in a statement on Sunday regarding the call.

“They agreed their teams will remain in touch and continue consulting with our Allies and partners, including Ukraine,” the White House added.

The presidents’ call came ahead of Macron’s trip to Moscow and Kyiv scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. 

France has pushed for diplomatic talks to resolve the crisis as Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops along the Ukrainian border. While Moscow has demanded that Ukraine not be permitted to join NATO, Russia maintains that it does not plan to invade Ukraine despite U.S. officials warning it would do so in coming days.

On Sunday, the Biden administration also reiterated that it would punish Russia by going after elites in the event of an attack.

“There are critical technologies that Russia is dependent on the United States and our allies on, technologies that Russia, that China does not have access to. Russian elites who we would cut off from the global financial system are not putting their money in China,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said on CBS’s “Face The Nation.”

“They’re putting their money in Europe and in the United States. And those elites, those who are helping President Putin make these decisions, we would cut them and their families off from the global financial system in ways that would limit their ability to do business in the ways they’ve done it in the past.