The call, which was requested by Russian officials, comes as senior US and Russian officials are to hold talks on January 10 in Geneva
Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin are set to discuss the Russian troop build-up near Ukraine during their second call in recent weeks amid little progress towards ending the crisis.
Ahead of the call, the White House indicated that Mr Biden would make clear to Mr Putin that a diplomatic path remains open even as the Russians have moved an estimated 100,000 troops towards Ukraine and Mr Putin has stepped up his demands for security guarantees in Eastern Europe.
But Mr Biden will reiterate to Mr Putin that for there to be “real progress” in talks they must be conducted in “a context of de-escalation rather than escalation”, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters ahead of the call.
The call, which was requested by Russian officials, comes as senior US and Russian officials are to hold talks on January 10 in Geneva.
The official said Mr Biden and Mr Putin, who met in Geneva in June to discuss an array of tensions in the US-Russia relationship, were not expected to take part in the coming talks.
The two leaders held a video call earlier this month in which their conversation focused heavily on Russia’s troop movements that have unsettled Ukraine and other European allies.
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