New Delhi: US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have officially agreed on a summit on Ukraine, say US and French leaders, offering a way out of some of Europe’s most dangerous issues for decades. .
The Office of the President of France Emmanuel Macron said in a statement on Monday that it had brought together both leaders at a conference on “security and stability in Europe.”
The White House said in a statement that Biden welcomed the meeting “basically” but only “if an attack does not happen.”
“We are always ready to negotiate,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. “We are also ready to put on quick and difficult results if Russia chooses war.”
More details about the proposed conference – announced after numerous calls between Macron, Biden, Putin , and British leader Boris Johnson – are unclear.
Today, President Biden convened a meeting of the National Security Council to discuss recent developments regarding the deployment of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border. pic.twitter.com/v3EKIj9PRb
– White House (@WhiteHouse) February 20, 2022
President Biden spoke to President Emmanuel Macron of France today. They discussed ongoing communication efforts and preventative efforts to respond to Russian military construction on Ukraine’s borders.
– White House (@WhiteHouse) February 20, 2022
A call seeking comment from the Kremlin did not return immediately on Monday.
Macron’s office and the White House said the summit would be prepared by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their next meeting scheduled for February 24.
US President Joe Biden agrees to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘basically’ if the attack does not happen: Jen Psaki, Secretary of News, White House #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/4gD7W013D9
– ANI (@ANI) February 21, 2022
The news comes a week after tensions over the construction of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border. Russian troops have been gathering around their neighbor since late last year, something Western countries call a precursor to attacks.
The nerves were also disrupted when the Belarusian Defense Ministry announced that Russia would extend military exercises in Belarus that were due to end on Sunday. Satellite imagery appeared to show new deployment of Russian troops to farms and forests near Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the extra tests had made him very worried about Russia was on the verge of an attack . Moscow has repeatedly denied such plans.
US-based satellite imagery Maxar has reported a new deployment of Russian troops to forests, farms and industrial areas within 15 kilometers (9 miles) of the Ukrainian border – Maxar’s claim represents a change in what has been seen in recent weeks.
Blinken told CNN that “everything we see suggests that this is very dangerous.”
But he said he hoped the attack could be avoided through peaceful means.
“Until the tanks roll over, and the planes fly, we will seize every opportunity and every moment we have to see if diplomacy can still prevent President Putin from moving forward,” Blinken said.
On the ground, war drums have been hitting hard over the last few days.
Unusual shootings on the line separating Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists in the region have risen sharply since Thursday; The noise of the war continued until Monday, when a bomb exploded in the center of Donetsk, a Russian-led intellectual faction in eastern Ukraine. Your cause was unknown.
Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine say on Monday that two civilians were killed in a shootout with Kyiv government troops, Russian media report RIA reported.
Kyiv has accused Russian-backed soldiers of shooting dead people in eastern Ukraine to blame attacks on Ukrainian government forces.
The war – as well as Russia’s ongoing trials – has put Europe on the brink.
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