The White House announced Tuesday (13) that President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the same day as the U.S. and Russia went head-to-head over the situation on the Ukrainian border. Biden reiterated his desire for a stable and predictable relationship with Russia, consistent with U.S. interests, and suggested the two meet in a third country.
In a statement, the White House said Biden reiterated Washington’s support for Ukraine and expressed concern about Russia’s sudden military deployment, calling on the other side to cool tensions. Biden also warned Putin to stop cyberattacking the United States and interfering with the election; the two also talked about arms control.
Biden proposed a summit in a third country in the next few months to discuss the issues facing both countries in a comprehensive manner. This is Biden’s second phone call with Putin since he took office. Russia recalled its ambassador to the U.S. in anger after Biden accused Putin of being an assassin in mid-month. Putin then wished Biden “good health” and stressed that he was not being sarcastic, and relations between the two countries warmed up for a while.
Recent Comments