U.S. President Joe Biden is ready for talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on de-escalation of the situation on the borders of Ukraine at any time and in any format.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said this on CNN Sunday, February 20.
He said the Russian scenario of an invasion of Ukraine is moving forward, although diplomacy still has a chance to prevent war.
"As we described, anything that would lead to an actual invasion seems to be happening," Blinken said.
The diplomat is concerned that the extension of the exercises in Belarus was another sign that Russia is preparing the ground for an invasion after "false-flag" operations and the accumulation of more than 150,000 Russian forces along the border with Ukraine.
"Now they are justifying the indefinite extension of these so-called 'exercises,' which they say should have ended now, by the situation in eastern Ukraine. The situation they created by continuing to escalate tensions," Blinken said.
Still, Blinken said the U.S. will continue to try to find one last diplomatic way.
He said Biden is willing to talk to Putin "anytime, in any format" if it helps prevent war, saying the U.S. administration will continue to take any steps to try to convince Moscow not to invade Ukraine.
"We believe that President Putin has made up his mind, but until the tanks actually roll and the planes fly, we will use every opportunity and every minute to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President Putin from moving forward," Blinken said.
.@SecBlinken on @CNNSotu: “We will use every opportunity and every minute we have to see if diplomacy can still dissuade President Putin from carrying this forward. President Biden is prepared to engage President Putin at anytime in any format if that can help prevent a war.” https://t.co/3hawOWnomC
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) February 20, 2022
