"Putin Hopes to Hold Video Conference with Biden Within the Year"...Likely to Discuss Ukraine Situation

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Russian government announced that President Vladimir Putin hopes to hold a video conference with U.S. President Joe Biden within this year, drawing attention to whether tensions between the two countries over Ukraine will ease. President Biden also hinted at the possibility of a meeting with President Putin, and if the bilateral talks take place, it is expected that various issues between the two countries, including the Ukraine situation and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline connecting Germany and Russia, will be discussed.

On the 28th (local time), Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian Kremlin, stated at a press briefing, "President Putin hopes to hold a video conference with President Biden before the end of the year," adding, "A specific date has not yet been set, but we hope communication will take place."

This is interpreted as a proposal for talks to ease tensions following the recent escalation of military tensions near the Ukrainian border, which raised concerns about additional sanctions and military intervention by the United States and the European Union (EU). According to The New York Times (NYT), the U.S. government recently shared intelligence with NATO member countries indicating that more than 92,000 Russian troops are deployed near the Black Sea and the border area with Ukraine, and there is a possibility of an invasion of Ukraine between January and February next year. Russia has strongly denied this information and dismissed the possibility of invading Ukraine.

President Biden also hinted at the possibility of talks. At a press conference the previous day, President Biden said, "There is a possibility of meetings not only with President Putin but also with President Zelensky," leaving open the possibility of a trilateral meeting. The U.S. government is reportedly mobilizing all possible diplomatic means to ease the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. According to major foreign media, Karen Donfried, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Eurasian Affairs, said during a phone briefing with the press that "all options are on the table, and there are means that include all options."

If the summit between the two leaders is realized, discussions are expected not only on the Ukraine issue but also on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which has not yet received operational approval since its completion in September. According to Axios, a U.S. political media outlet, the German government recently urged the U.S. Congress to lift sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Axios reported, citing confidential documents obtained from German government officials, that "U.S. sanctions on Nord Stream 2 undermine trust in the U.S. government and risk damaging the transatlantic alliance."