A formal statement from the Kremlin has denounced the United States and President Joe Biden after Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin “a killer.”
Biden said in a recent interview that Russia and Putin will “pay a price” after their meddling in the U.S. Presidential election and attempted assassination of an opposition leader. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos asked Biden in an interview if he thought Putin was “a killer.” Biden nodded in agreement, “I do,” he said.
“These are very bad statements by the President of the United States. He definitely does not want to improve relations with us, and we will continue to proceed from this,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He continued saying that Biden “definitely does not want to improve relations” with Russia.
“I would like to offer President Biden [the chance] to continue our discussion, but on condition that we’ll do so what is called live, online. Without anything pre-recorded, in an open and direct discussion,” said Putin in his first public statement since the condemnation.
“It seems to me, it would be interesting both for Russian people and for the U.S. people, as well as for many other countries,” he added.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked by reporters if Biden would be open to a call with Putin. “I’ll have to get back to you if that is something we’re entertaining. I would say that the President already had a conversation already with President Putin, even as there are more world leaders that he has not yet engaged with,” Psaki said to reporters. “And we engage with Russian leaders, members of the government, at all levels. But I don’t have anything to report to you in terms of a future meeting.”
