ONE BIG ‘IF’

White House: Biden Will Meet With Putin—If Russia Doesn’t Invade Ukraine

“We are always ready for diplomacy,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. “We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war.”

President Joe Biden has agreed “in principle” to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin, provided Russia avoids what U.S. intelligence has suggested is an imminent invasion of Ukraine. In a Sunday statement, White House press secretary Jen Psaki reiterated that the U.S. government was “committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moment an invasion begins.” She cited a forthcoming meeting between Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, scheduled to go ahead this Thursday as long as no invasion occurs. “President Biden accepted in principle a meeting with President Putin following that engagement, again, if an invasion hasn’t happened,” Psaki continued. “We are always ready for diplomacy. We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war.” At the present moment, she concluded, “Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon.” Biden had previously said on Friday that he was “convinced” Putin had already made the decision to invade amid escalating tensions and rapidly amassing troops along the Ukrainian border.

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AJ McDougallBreaking News Reporter

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