No Biden-Putin Meeting Planned, Blinken Cancels Meeting with Lavrov

The White House is not planning a summit between the presidents of the United States and Russia, said Joe Biden's spokeswoman Jen Psaki. She explained this by the escalation of the crisis between Moscow and Kyiv.

“President Biden is open to diplomacy, but the moment Putin is preparing to invade a sovereign state is not suitable for top-level talks,” Saki said.

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has canceled a meeting scheduled for tomorrow with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. The reason - the Russian invasion has already begun, and with this Moscow has shown that it rejects diplomacy.

Russia is falling into International Isolation

Blinken described Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement in recognition of the independence of the two separatist republics in eastern Ukraine as deeply disturbing. According to him, it suggests that the Russian head of state perceives Kyiv as a subordinate.

However, Blinken said diplomatic efforts by the United States and its allies and partners would continue.

“We will continue our diplomatic efforts, in coordination with our allies and partners, based on Russia's actions and the facts on the ground, but we will not allow Russia to claim diplomacy and at the same time deepen the conflict and go to war.”

The US Secretary of State's speech came after a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington.

In his statement, Kuleba stressed the equal positions of his country with the supporters of NATO, the European Union and the United States.

“The world must respond with all its economic power to punish Russia for the crimes it has already committed and to anticipate the crimes it plans to commit. Hit the Russian economy now and hit it hard.”

/BNR

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