U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday that the U.S. and Russia should ease the situation after the U.S. imposed massive sanctions on Russia and expelled 10 Russian diplomats, and he has proposed a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Europe this summer.
Biden made a brief speech on U.S.-Russian relations at the White House that afternoon. Biden said he spoke with Putin on the 13th, said the U.S. could have imposed larger sanctions on Russia, but he chose “moderate” measures.
Biden said the U.S. does not seek to open a cycle of escalating tensions and conflict with Russia and wants to achieve stable and predictable bilateral relations. But if Russia continues to interfere in American democracy, the U.S. will take further action.
Biden said it is time to de-escalate the situation and deal with U.S.-Russian relations through dialogue and diplomacy in the future, and the U.S. is ready to play a constructive role in the process.
Biden said he has proposed to Putin that a summit be held in Europe this summer to discuss bilateral relations. After the summit, the two countries can engage in strategic and stable dialogue and work together to address global challenges such as Iran’s nuclear program, North Korea’s nuclear program, the outbreak and climate change.
The U.S. government on the 15th, Russia to carry out cyberattacks, interference in the U.S. election and other malicious activities on the grounds of dozens of sanctions against Russia and expelled 10 Russian diplomats.
In response to a new round of U.S. sanctions against Russia, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said Russia condemns any sanctions and considers them illegal. Russia’s response follows the principle of reciprociprocy and will safeguard its interests in an appropriate manner.
U.S.-Russian relations have been strained in recent years, and since the Biden administration took office, the two sides have achieved limited cooperation in arms control, but differences over Ukraine, cybersecurity, human rights, and election meddling have intensified.
