White House sees tangible de-escalation in Ukraine as precondition for Biden-Putin conversation

U.S. President Joe Biden can hold a conversation with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin if there is tangible de-escalation in Ukraine from Russia and a clear commitment to diplomacy.

White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said this at a briefing in Washington, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"I'm not going to set preconditions for a conversation between President Biden and President Putin, except to say that we have been very clear and President Biden has been very clear that there needs to be tangible de-escalation from Russia and a clear, genuine commitment to diplomacy before the President would have that kind of conversation," she said.

Biden said earlier he was open to holding a conversation with Putin, despite still considering him a "war criminal" and a "butcher." Biden emphasized the importance of ending the war and rebuilding Ukraine.