Steph Deschamps / February 21, 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed in principle to hold a summit on the Ukrainian crisis, the French Presidency announced Monday.
It was French President Emmanuel Macron who proposed to the two leaders the holding of this summit on security and strategic stability in Europe, said the Elysee in a statement.
The White House stressed that a meeting would only occur on the condition that Moscow does not invade Ukraine. We are always open to diplomacy, said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki. However, we stand ready to impose tough sanctions quickly should Russia decide to go down the path of war.
Neither the Kremlin nor the office of Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski immediately responded Monday morningto a request for comment. Details of the summit were not released. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are expected to prepare for the meeting at a meeting on February 24, according to Elysee and White House statements.