On Friday, the Kremlin rejected the conditions set by US President Joe Biden to engage in talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, which stipulate the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine.
The Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said in press statements that Biden “said that negotiations would only be possible after Putin leaves Ukraine, which Moscow clearly rejects,” according to the Russian “Tass” agency.
He stressed that the Russian military operation in Ukraine is “continuing”.
And Thursday, Biden announced that he is ready to talk to his Russian counterpart “if he is looking for a way to end the war in Ukraine, but he has not done so yet,” referring to the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory.
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The last contact between Biden and Putin was on February 12, before the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
The call lasted, at that time, for about an hour, during which Biden urged his Russian counterpart to reduce escalation and engage in the diplomatic track, and warned him of the consequences of the “invasion” of Ukraine.
Since February 24, Russia has launched a military operation in Ukraine, followed by angry international reactions and the imposition of “tough” economic and financial sanctions on Moscow.
