US Lauds Visa, Mastercard Suspending Services In Russia
Washington, March 6: US President Joe Biden, during a conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, welcomed the decisions of Visa and Mastercard to suspend services in Russia, the White House said.
Earlier, Zelenskyy said on Twitter that he held phone talks with Biden on Saturday, discussing Western support for Kiev and anti-Russia sanctions. “President Biden highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its Allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. In particular, he welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia,” the White House said in a Saturday statement following the Biden-Zelenskyy conversation.
According to the release, Biden and Zelenskyy discussed the recent talks between Russia and Ukraine. The White House said that the Biden administration is boosting assistance to Kiev and is “working closely with Congress to secure additional funding.” “As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia,” Zelenskyy said on Twitter. According to the White House press pool, the conversation lasted about half an hour. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called Zelenskyy after Bennett discussed the situation in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Saturday meeting in the Kremlin.