Russia's military has been conducting exercises in Crimea as well as near the border with eastern Ukraine. (Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News Communication = Reporter Reakkana] Hours following US President Joe Biden proposed a summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin has said it will study the idea, BBC reported. "It is early to talk about this meeting in terms of specifics," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Mr. Biden made the proposal on the phone with Mr. Putin, raising concerns about Russia's troop build-up on Ukraine's borders, the White House said. Mr. Biden also spoke of building a "stable and predictable" relationship. The phone call late on Tuesday was only the second conversation that President Biden has had with Russia's leader since he took office in January. Mr. Peskov said on Wednesday that "without doubt bilateral ties are important".
Mr. Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, met Mr. Putin in Finland in 2018 and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto has reportedly offered to host a new summit. Mr. Niinisto's office said in a statement that he had a long call with the Russian leader on Tuesday evening and expressed concern about the troop build-up. Meanwhile, the US and European leaders have watched Russian military movements with increasing alarm. Ukraine's presidential spokeswoman, Yulia Mendel, said this week that Russia now had some 40,000 troops on the border with eastern Ukraine and a further 42,000 in Crimea, which was seized and then annexed by Russia in 2014.