Kremlin Rejects Biden Terms for Ukraine Talks

The Kremlin on Friday, Dec. 2, rejected US President Joe Biden’s terms for Ukraine talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying Moscow’s offensive will continue.

“What did President Biden say in fact? He said that negotiations are possible only after Putin leaves Ukraine,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding Moscow was “certainly” not ready to accept the conditions.

“The special military operation is continuing,” Peskov said, using the Kremlin term for the assault on Ukraine.

Biden had said on Thursday he would be willing to speak to Vladimir Putin for the first time since the Ukraine invasion if the Russian leader truly wants to end the war.

The U.S. president was speaking during a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has said he will speak again to Putin after his trip to Washington and has warned against cutting off the Russian leader.

At a joint news conference with Macron, Biden said he had no immediate plans to contact Putin but left open the possibility.

“I’m prepared to speak with Mr. Putin if in fact there is an interest in him deciding he’s looking for a way to end the war. He hasn’t done that yet,” Biden said.

“If that’s the case, in consultation with my French and my NATO friends, I’ll be happy to sit down with Putin to see what he has in mind. He hasn’t done that yet.”

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