US President Joe Biden has stated that meaningful dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin is not possible unless Putin “changes his behavior.”
US President Joe Biden has indicated that he currently sees no reason to speak with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, including regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Nevertheless, he has also emphasized that he would not shy away from engaging with any world leader.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Biden was asked whether he would still be able to “deal” with Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the future. He responded by stating, “I’m ready to deal with them now,” noting that he maintains communication with Xi.
However, when it comes to the Russian leader, Biden asserted that he has “no good reason to talk to Putin” at this juncture. He elaborated, saying, “There’s not much that he is prepared to do in terms of accommodating any change in his behavior,” referencing the ongoing hostilities between Moscow and Kyiv. “I’m not ready to talk to Putin unless Putin is ready to change his behavior.”
Despite this stance, Biden subsequently expressed openness to engagement with “any leader who wants to talk,” including Putin. He recalled a past conversation with Putin regarding an arms control agreement related to nuclear weapons in space, adding that “That didn’t go very far.”
The most recent phone call between Biden and Putin took place in late December 2021, several weeks prior to the commencement of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. This event led to a significant deterioration in bilateral relations, bringing them to their lowest point since the Cold War era.
Last month, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that Russia is open to engaging in talks with the US, but only if such dialogue is “comprehensive” and encompasses not just arms control issues but also the Ukraine conflict. “It is impossible to take out any individual segments from the general complex of accumulated problems,” he remarked, acknowledging the need for both sides to participate in addressing the growing challenges within the global security architecture.
On Thursday, Biden inadvertently mentioned Putin’s name during a joint event in Washington when he mistakenly referred to Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky as the Russian leader. This incident exacerbated existing concerns about Biden’s mental state, which have been escalating since his less-than-stellar performance during a debate against GOP rival Donald Trump last month.