President Joe Biden was left giving Vladimir Putin an awkward wave after the two world leaders had some video call issues.
At the start of a two-hour video call with the Russian President the pair suffered from some 'left on mute' problems.
Biden smiled as he waved at Putin and appeared to say 'hello' - but the US President had forgotten to turn on his microphone.
After finally making the technology work Biden could be heard saying: 'There you go. Hello. Good to see you again.'
The two leaders spoke as tens of thousands of Russian troops continued to amass along the border, raising fears of an invasion.
The US leader spoke to Boris Johnson and other allied leaders to update them on the call.
Russian TV footage showed Biden and Putin greeting each other in a friendly manner at the start of the call with the US leader saying he hoped their next meeting would be in person.
America has been mulling drastic sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov calling for everyone to keep "a cool head”.
The call came as a top Kiev diplomat warned there would be a "really bloody massacre" if Russia invaded the country amid Moscow’s military buildup at the border.
Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said his country would stand firm against Moscow after it amassed some 90,000 troops near the border.
The politician said: "Russian guys also will come back in the coffins" if they choose to invade.
Reznikov urged Biden to relay his message to Putin
"If I can advise President Biden, I would like him to articulate to Mr Putin that no red lines from the Kremlin side should be here," he said.
"The red line is here in Ukraine and the civilised world will react without hesitation.
"The idea of not provoking Russia will not work," he added.
While the U.S. has reportedly estimated Russia could assemble 175,000 troops to invade Ukraine, Reznikov said that is an underestimate.
"So, we have 250,000 official ... members of our army," he said. "Plus, I said 400,000 veterans and 200,000 reservists. 175,000 (is) not enough to go to Ukraine."
Reznikov also stressed that a Russian invasion would bring "disastrous" consequences for the rest of the world as it may result in an estimated five million Ukrainians seeking refuge across Europe.
Ukraine, Reznikov added, is also a significant food supplier in Europe and Africa. If Russia invaded, that supply might be interrupted.
While Ukraine requested military equipment aid from its allies, it will not request troops.
"We don't need troops, because I think it's not so fair that American soldiers will die in Ukraine. No, we don't need it," Reznikov said.
Biden said he would “reaffirm the United States’ support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
The two began their conversation via video-link at 3.07pm UK time, according to the White House, and it ended at 5.08pm.
“Greetings, Mr President,” Putin said at the start of the call, according to a brief video of the opening moments.
“Good to see you again,” Biden responded warmly, after what appeared to be a brief connection glitch.
“Unfortunately last time we didn’t get to see one another at the G20. I am hoping next time we meet we do it in person.”
Putin was seated at a long wooden desk, with Biden on a large video screen in front of him, according to brief footage of the videoconference released by Russian state television.
Putin took the call from his residence in Sochi, the Russian resort city on the Black Sea.
The virtual meeting was a crucial test for Biden, as he tried to protect a democratic ally whose security U.S. officials have promised to defend and head off a major European security crisis.
Putin has complained that Ukraine poses a threat to Russia through its close military and political ties to the States and European powers.
But Biden’s options are limited.
He has no desire to send U.S. troops into battle on Ukraine’s behalf. Instead, he used the call to warn of potentially severe economic consequences, according to a senior administration official.
Analysts say a full-fledged invasion could trigger a U.S. move to cut Russia off from the international financial system, a drastic measure reserved for extreme cases.
It is unclear, however, whether such warnings will deter the Russian president, who has weathered years of Western sanctions over past acts of aggression, including Putin’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and his longtime support for a pro-Russian separatist insurgency in Ukraine’s east.
In recent weeks, the tension on the border has grown, with NATO warning that Russia would face ramifications if it attempted to invade Ukraine.
Even before the call the Kremlin, which said before yesterday’s (TUES) meeting it did not expect any breakthroughs, has denied harbouring any intention to attack Ukraine and has said its troop posture is defensive.
But Moscow has voiced rising vexation over Western military aid to Ukraine, a fellow former Soviet republic that has tilted towards the West since a popular revolt toppled a pro-Russian president in 2014, and what it calls creeping NATO expansion.
Moscow has likewise questioned Ukrainian intentions and said it wants guarantees that Kyiv will not use force to try to retake territory lost in 2014 to Russia-backed separatists, a scenario Ukraine has ruled out.
"We're looking for good, predictable relations with the United States. Russia has never intended to attack anyone, but we have our concerns and we have our red lines," said Peskov.
Leaders from Britain, the US, France, Germany and Italy held a call following the Biden-Putin talks.
The allies have "agreed to stay in close touch on a coordinated and comprehensive approach in response to
Russia's military build-up on Ukraine's borders," the White House said.
