Paris: US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have agreed to hold a summit, which can happen only if Moscow has no invasion in Ukraine, the French presidency announced Monday.
France’s Emmanuel Macron proposed the summit, which will be expanded to relevant stakeholders for discussing “security and strategic stability in Europe,” reads a statement by the Elysee, adding that preparations would start between Russia and the US on Thursday.
The statement further states that the French President spoke to Biden and Putin and proposed a summit between them and later interactions with “relevant stakeholders” to discuss security and strategic stability in Europe.
“Presidents Biden and Putin have both accepted the principle of such a summit,” the statement said.
It further states that the substance for the summit is possible only on one condition – Russia does not invade Ukraine. The French President, it says, will work with all stakeholders.
The White House confirmed that Biden has agreed in principle to the meeting so long as Moscow does not invade Ukraine, following the announcement made by France.
The US is “committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moment an invasion begins,” US press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. “President Biden accepted in principle a meeting with President Putin … if an invasion hasn’t happened.”
“We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war. And currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon,” she added.
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