President Joe Biden's invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold a summit in a third country still stands, the White House said on Thursday after the United States slapped an array of sanctions on Moscow.
"The invitation remains open," said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
She said the United States believes a summit would be a good step forward toward "the development of a stable and predictable relationship" between the two countries.
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U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday called for de-escalating the tension with Moscow after authorizing multiple sanctions against Russia.
ReplyDeleteIn his remarks at the White House, Biden detailed his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week, as well as his administration's approach to bilateral relations.
"I was clear with President Putin that we could have gone further, but I chose not to do so. I chose to be proportionate," Biden said, referring to the punitive actions against Russia that he authorized.
The United States earlier in the day announced the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats and sweeping sanctions against individuals and entities in response to Moscow's alleged election interference and cyber activities.
On the same day, Russia Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov summoned U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan, telling him that the new anti-Russian sanctions will shortly be followed by "a series of retaliatory measures."
"The United States is not looking to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia," Biden said. "We want a stable, predictable relationship."
Biden suggested that Washington and Moscow work together to address global challenges such as non-proliferation, global pandemic, and climate change.