John Kirby, National Security Council strategic communications coordinator, said on February 17 that US President Joe Biden’s speech, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the conflict in Ukraine, may include an appeal to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the people of the Russian Federation.
It is noted that the speech will take place as part of Biden’s visit to Poland from February 20 to 22, where he will meet with the leaders of Eastern European NATO member countries.
“I would suspect that you will hear a message from him to Mr. Putin and the Russian people,” Kirby is quoted as saying. The White house.
Kirby did not provide any details about Biden’s possible appeal to Putin. At the same time, it is indicated that the American president should declare the continuation of the US policy of supporting Ukraine.
Earlier, on February 15, Polish media reported that Joe Biden would meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Poland. It was reported that Warsaw and Rzeszow are being considered as a possible meeting place for the presidents.
In turn, John Kirby said that the US administration does not yet have data on a possible meeting between Joe Biden and Vladimir Zelensky during the upcoming visit of the American leader to Europe.
On February 10, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced that during his visit, the American leader would announce Washington’s assistance to the Kyiv regime.
In addition, it was noted that Biden will meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda to discuss bilateral cooperation and support for Ukraine. The American leader will also meet with the heads of the Bucharest Nine countries, a group of NATO allies on the eastern flank, to reaffirm the unwavering US support for the alliance.
Meanwhile, on February 16, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko announced the readiness of Minsk to organize a meeting of the presidents of Russia and the United States. However, at the same time, Lukashenka expressed doubt that Biden would accept an invitation to visit Belarus.
Prior to that, on February 1, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans to negotiate with his American counterpart Joe Biden.
The special operation to protect the Donbass, the beginning of which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24, continues. The decision was made against the background of the aggravation of the situation in the region due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.
