White House Confirms Biden-Putin Video Call for 7 Dec

LOCAL NEWS

• White House confirms plans for Putin - Biden video call on 7 Dec to discuss strategic stability, cyber/regional issues & Ukraine according to US press sec Psaki. Notes US support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
  • Blinken said Biden is likely to declare Washington’s desire for more stable relations with Moscow, but stand up resolutely against any reckless or aggressive actions. Says he hopes Russia will choose de-escalation in Ukraine issue
• Russia says US & NATO actions over the Black Sea threaten civil aviation after two civilian aircraft had to divert and change altitude because of a NATO surveillance plane that crossed their routes and ignored Russian air safety authorities
• Russia’s Embassy in Washington says US claims on an invasion in Ukraine have proven to be wrong, stressing that Russia does is not a threat to anyone and the deployment of its troops on its national territory is a sovereign right and nobody’s business.
  • Notes “it is NATO that is recklessly moving its military forces & infrastructure to the Russian borders”
• Fitch Affirms Russia at ‘BBB’ outlook stable, supported by its very strong external balance sheet and lowest level of government debt in the peer group.
  • But says those factors are countered by high geopolitical risks, weak governance vs peers, low potential GDP growth and high commodity dependence. Forecasts another +75bp CBR rate hike in Dec, 4.4% FY21 GDP & 2.6% in 2022.