Putin-Biden talks expected late tonight

Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden, respectively, will hold a telephone conversation at 23:30 Moscow time, the White House said in a statement.

Report informs that the talks will be closed for press. The Kremlin also said earlier that the talks would take place on December 30 evening.

President Joe Biden will hold a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday afternoon "to discuss a range of topics, including upcoming diplomatic engagements with Russia," National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne told CNN.

Biden intends to bring to Putin's attention that there is a diplomatic way of resolving the tension around Ukraine and that the United States is ready to respond in case of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In early January, Russia will hold talks with the United States, NATO, and OSCE on the proposed security guarantees. They include the requirement on non-enlargement of NATO to the east and rejection of the military cooperation with the post-Soviet countries.