The U.S. President spoke with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed by telephone on Monday (January 10).
That call coming just two days after aid workers said an airstrike had killed 56 people at a camp for displaced people in the Tigray region.
Footage from Tigray TV showed bodies being sprinkled with water while mourners watched, as well as damaged buildings and tents in what was purportedly the camp.
Thousands have died and millions forced from their homes since war broke out between Abiy's federal military and the Tigray People's Liberation Front in November 2020.
A senior U.S. official said Biden had told Abiy that the United States wants to continue to see progress, including stopping airstrikes, expanding humanitarian access to all regions of the country and engaging in ceasefire talks.
The U.S. has long partnered with Ethiopia to contain militants in neighboring Somalia.
The White House also said Biden and Abiy discussed human rights concerns, including over "detentions of Ethiopians under the state of emergency".
Human rights groups and the United Nations have raised concerns about large-scale arrests of ethnic Tigrayans.
Abiy's government has denied ethnically motivated detentions were taking place.
In a tweet, Abiy said the conversation with Biden was "candid" and that strengthening cooperation had been discussed.
