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On Friday, the Kremlinโs spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Putinโs offer of talks remained open and that Putin could do any time that was convenient for Biden, though the offer would not stay on the table indefinitely.
The Kremlin said on Friday that Moscow always hoped for the best but prepared for the worst when it was asked about the possibility of a new Cold War between the United States and Russia.
Diplomatic ties sank to a new low this week after U.S. President Joe Biden said he thought President Vladimir Putin was โa killerโ in an interview that prompted Russia to recall its ambassador to the United States. Putin later offered Biden live online talks in the coming days.
On Friday, the Kremlinโs spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Putinโs offer of talks remained open and that Putin could do any time that was convenient for Biden, though the offer would not stay on the table indefinitely.
โPutin said that despite everything thereโs no point in playing at megaphone diplomacy and trading barbs. There is a point in continuing relations,โ Peskov told reporters on a conference call.
He was asked about a new Cold War between the two countries.
โWe, of course, always hope for the best, but are always ready for the worst. As far as Russia is concerned, President Putin has clearly stated his desire to continue tiesโฆ,โ he said.
โBut of course, we canโt not take into account Bidenโs comments,โ he said, in a reference to Bidenโs interview with ABC News broadcast on Wednesday.
In it, Biden said โI doโ when asked if he believed Putin was a killer, prompting Putin to cite a Russian childrenโs playground chant in response saying โhe who said it, did itโ.
Biden also described Putin as having no soul in the interview, and said the Russian leader would pay a price for alleged meddling in the November 2020 U.S. presidential election, something the Kremlin denies.
REUTERS
