Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) is calling for President Joe Biden to release a transcript of his “bizarre” call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy amid conflict reports about the conversation.
During an appearance on Fox News Thursday night, Banks said, “President Biden and the Biden White House needs to release the transcript of the call with Zelensky.”
“We have no idea what was said on this call, and there’s no doubt that it was bizarre because it involves this president, and everything he does is bizarre,” he added.
Watch the video below:
Rep. Banks demands President Biden release the transcript of his call with Zelensky pic.twitter.com/kP4AJEuiDj
— Acyn (@Acyn) January 28, 2022
On Thursday, Biden had a call with Zelensky to discuss tensions between Ukraine and Russia.
CNN national security correspondent Alexander Marquardt tweeted, “A Russian invasion is now virtually certain once the ground freezes, Biden said to Zelensky.”
“Kyiv could be ‘sacked,’ Russian forces may attempt to occupy it, ‘prepare for impact’, Biden said, according to this official,” he added.
A Russian invasion is now virtually certain once the ground freezes, Biden said to Zelensky, a senior Ukrainian official told @mchancecnn. Kyiv could be “sacked," Russian forces may attempt to occupy it, “prepare for impact”, Biden said, according to this official.
— Alex Marquardt (@MarquardtA) January 27, 2022
Zelensky reportedly told Biden to “calm down the messaging” about a potential invasion and said Ukrainian officials do not believe an invasion is imminent. Additionally, he raised the administration’s messaging about an invasion could hurt Ukraine’s economy.
Emily Horne, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, tweeted about reports of the call, “This is not true. President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February.”
“He has previously said this publicly [and] we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false,” she added.
This is not true. President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February. He has previously said this publicly & we have been warning about this for months. Reports of anything more or different than that are completely false. https://t.co/chkFOhwWHn
— Emily Horne (@emilyhorne46) January 27, 2022
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, D.C., tweeted that “some reports” about the call are “completely false” and noted that Zelensky encouraged people “to carefully treat all information in this troubled time especially from the unconfirmed sources.”
President of #Ukraine’s spokesperson stated that some reports regarding today’s conversation of President Zelenskyy and President Biden are completely false. He also encouraged to carefully treat all information in this troubled time especially from the unconfirmed sources. pic.twitter.com/68mZ9tGNSm
— UKR Embassy in USA (@UKRintheUSA) January 28, 2022
A readout of the call from the White House said Biden “underscored the commitment of the United States to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
“President Biden reaffirmed the readiness of the United States along with its allies and partners to respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine,” it added.