Biden, U.S. allies concerned by Russia's military buildup near Ukraine, urge diplomacy

U.S. President Joe Biden gives a thumbs up before boarding Marine One for travel to Camp David from the White House in Washington, U.S., February 11, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis

(Reuters) - President Joe Biden held a call with leaders of U.S. allies on Friday where they raised concerns about Russia's buildup of military forces around Ukraine and expressed a desire for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, the White House said.

The leaders also agreed to making coordinated efforts to deter Russian aggression against Ukraine, including by being ready to impose "massive consequences and severe economic costs" on Russia should it choose military escalation, the White House said after the call.

They also discussed their readiness to continue "reinforcing the defensive posture on NATO's eastern flank" in case of further escalation by Russia, the White House added https://bit.ly/34QDMeQ.

Participants in the call included Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, among others.

Russia has massed enough troops near Ukraine to launch a major invasion, Washington said earlier on Friday, as it urged all U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine within 48 hours after Moscow further stiffened its response to Western diplomacy.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien and Daniel Wallis)