KIEV, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the conflict escalation in eastern Ukraine in his first phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday night, Zelensky's press service reported on its official website.
During the conversation, Zelensky acquainted Biden with the situation in Donbas, which has been heating up since the beginning of this year. Zelensky assured Biden of Ukraine's commitment to a peaceful settlement of the armed conflict in the region and pointed out the importance of maintaining a complete ceasefire for the continuation of negotiations between the Trilateral Contact Group and the Normandy Four.
Biden, in turn, said that the United States supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as the efforts of official Kiev to establish peace in the Donbas.
"We have the full and unwavering support of international partners, including Europe and the United States. And one of the proofs of that is the conversation I had today with the President of the United States, Joe Biden. We discussed the situation in Donbas in detail. President Biden assured me that Ukraine would never be left alone against Russian aggression," Zelensky said.
The parties also discussed the implementation and continuation of reforms in Ukraine, including anti-corruption, judicial and Constitutional Court reform.
Zelensky invited Biden to pay a visit to Ukraine and called on the United States to take part in the Crimean Platform summit scheduled for Aug. 23.
The phone conversation was held following at least three high-level calls between U.S. and Ukrainian officials this week.
Earlier Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba discussed security cooperation in a telephone call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday expressed serious concerns over "provocative actions" from the Ukrainian side and called the situation along the contact line in Donbas "very intimidating."
He noted that the NATO military buildup would undoubtedly escalate tensions near the Russian-Ukrainian border, requiring Moscow to "take additional measures to ensure its security."
The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, which has claimed some 14,000 lives and left as many as 40,000 wounded, began in April 2014. Enditem
