White House says there are currently no plans for Biden to talk to Putin in regard to ending war
White House officials confirmed Friday that there are currently no plans for President Biden to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding an end to the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported.
Biden himself had said just a day prior that while he would be open to meeting with Putin to try and find common ground, the conditions for such a meeting were currently not on the table. This was reiterated by national security spokesperson John Kirby, who said, "We're just not at a point now where talks seem to be a fruitful avenue to approach right now," per Reuters.
Kirby further told reporters that Biden's overall position on Russia had not changed, despite his willingness to extend a hand to Putin.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The president has been very consistent about that," Kirby said, per The New York Times. "He's got no intentions to talk to Mr. Putin right now. As he also said, Putin has shown absolutely no inclination to be interested in dialogue of any kind. In fact, quite the contrary. Everything he's doing shows that Mr. Putin is interested in continuing this illegal, unprovoked war."
This sentiment was echoed by Russia, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying that while Putin remained open to negotiations, talks were unlikely to be had any time soon, NPR reported. "The U.S. still doesn't recognize new territories of the Russian Federation," Peskov said, referencing four illegally annexed regions of Ukraine that the international community has refused to recognize as part of Russia. "That complicates the search for grounds on which to hold mutual discussion."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
The growing thirst for camel milk
Under the radar Climate change and health-conscious consumers are pushing demand for nutrient-rich product – and the growth of industrialised farming
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Good riddance to the televised presidential debate'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick in bullish WNBA Draft
Speed Read As expected, she went to the Indiana Fever
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Good riddance to the televised presidential debate'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel's war is America's, too
Opinion 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel' are just different slogans for the same hatred
By Mark Gimein Published
-
'Modern presidents exercise power undreamed of by the Founding Fathers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How will Israel respond to Iran's direct attack?
Speed Read Iran’s weekend attack on Israel could escalate into a wider Middle East war
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US, Israel brace for Iran retaliatory strikes
Speed Read An Iranian attack on Israel is believed to be imminent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Why are Republicans trying to change Nebraska's Electoral College vote?
Today's Big Question It's a chance for Donald Trump to block Joe Biden's path to re-election
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published