(Washington) The White House said advisers Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin raised on Monday the possibility of holding the first summit between the US and Russian presidents on Monday and would “continue” discussing it.
Last week, the President of the United States proposed to his counterpart, in a telephone interview, that this summer in a third country meet to hold a summit aimed at stabilizing relations between the two rival powers, which are at their lowest levels. Finland and Austria in particular have expressed their willingness to welcome him.
Moscow expressed interest in the offer, which was nonetheless intrusive by the sanctions and counter-sanctions exchanged between the two countries, last week as well.
Joe Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan spoke by phone with Russian Security Council Secretary General Nikolai Patrushev on Monday.
In addition to “a number of issues related to bilateral relations and regional and global issues,” whose details were not disclosed, the White House said in a statement that the two men “raised the possibility of holding a presidential summit between the United States.” The states and Russia “decided to” remain in contact “in this regard.
For its part, the Russian Security Council indicated that “preparations for the meeting” and “the importance of the rapid launch of a bilateral mechanism to achieve strategic stability” and developments on the Iranian nuclear program and “the nuclear problem” were discussed. On the Korean Peninsula. ”
“The Russian side stressed the impermissibility of the United States’ interference in the internal affairs of Russia and its allies,” the statement added from Moscow.
If nothing is decided, negotiations will continue.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin will participate in the virtual world summit organized by Joe Biden on Thursday via video, the Kremlin announced Monday.
The positive response from the Russians comes amid escalating tensions between Moscow and the West, which clash on many international issues, especially on Ukraine and in the case of imprisoned Russian opponent Alexei Navalny.
