The conversation between the two leaders was initiated by Washington and, according to a Kremlin spokesman, was preceded by a written message from the American side.
‘No indications of an offensive’
Prior to the meeting with Biden, Putin telephoned French President Macron. Putin did not say anything in that conversation that could indicate an imminent invasion of Ukraine, a Macron spokesperson said. “We see no indication in what President Putin is saying that he will go on the offensive,” the spokesman said.
According to the Kremlin, Putin said in the conversation with Macron that Western powers should put pressure on Kiev to adhere to the Minsk agreements. In those accords, a truce was settled in 2015 between the Ukrainian government in Kiev and the pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country. Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of not complying with the agreements in that agreement.
Putin also criticized Western arms supplies to Ukraine, which he said could lead to “potential aggressive actions” by the Ukrainian military in the east of the country.
Macron and Putin talked for almost an hour and a half. Macron warned the Russian leader that “open dialogue” is incompatible with further escalation of the situation.
There was also a lot of diplomatic consultation at ministerial level today. Shortly before the Biden-Putin meeting, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov met. The defense ministers of both countries also spoke to each other.
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