The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has accepted the French proposal to hold a summit with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, as long as he does not invade Ukraine, the White House confirmed on Sunday.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki, however, stressed in a statement that “right now, Russia appears to be continuing preparations to (launch) a large-scale attack on Ukraine very soon.”
Biden “has agreed in principle to meet with President Putin” after their respective foreign ministers meet in Europe next Thursday, “as long as Russia does not go ahead with military action,” Psaki said.
Shortly before, the Elysee Palace had assured that the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, had proposed to both Biden and Putin that they hold a summit on security in Europe, and that both had accepted.
After speaking once by phone with Biden and twice with Putin, the French president proposed that a summit between Putin and Biden be held first “and then with all the parties involved” on security and strategic stability in Europe, according to the Elysee.
Psaki assured that Biden is “committed to the diplomatic track until such time as an invasion begins,” but that he is also “prepared to impose swift and serious consequences if Russia chooses war instead.”
The spokeswoman warned that everything points to Russia continuing to lean towards that option, and Biden said on Friday that he is “convinced” that Putin has already made the decision to invade Ukraine.
According to US intelligence information cited by various media, the Kremlin has even ordered its commanders to prepare for an invasion, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned this Sunday that it may be imminent. .
“Everything we’re seeing points to this being completely serious, that they’re about to invade,” Blinken said in an interview with CNN television.
The head of US diplomacy cited the hostilities in eastern Ukraine and Moscow’s decision to prolong its military presence in Belarus for longer than originally announced as indications.
Blinken insisted, however, that there is still time for diplomacy and said that, if there is no invasion before then, he is still willing to meet this week in Europe with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
“Until the tanks are rolling and the planes are flying, we will use every opportunity and every minute we have to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President Putin from doing this,” he stressed.
EFE