More Talk on Biden-Putin Summit

May 8, 2021 (EIRNS)—Talk continues on a plan for a summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but there is still no confirmation or date.

On May 7, responding to a journalist’s question on whether the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border affects his decision on whether to hold a summit with Putin, Biden declared: “I’m confident we’ll be able to do it. We don’t have any specific time or place. That’s being worked on.”

As for the Ukrainian-Russian border situation he said, “It does not impact my desire to have a one-on-one meeting.” Putin “had more troops before” at the Russian-Ukrainian border. “He’s withdrawn troops. There’s still troops amassed, but significantly less than he had a month ago.”

White House spokesperson Jen Psaki also said yesterday that such a summit would help ease tension between Moscow and Washington, but the sides have yet to reach a final agreement.

On the Russian side, President Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS, “We continue to analyze the situation.”