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‘Open dialogue, not debate’: Kremlin clarifies Putin’s livestream challenge to Biden

On Wednesday, Biden stated in an interview with ABC News that the Russian leadership would "pay a price" for allegedly meddling in US elections

Kremlin Spokesamn Dmitry Peskov Mikhail Metzel/TASS photohost agency

Kremlin Spokesamn Dmitry Peskov

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS photohost agency

MOSCOW, March 19. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov elucidated to reporters on Friday that it is not a debate between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden that is being offered, but rather the Russian leader’s proposal implies open dialogue.

"Naturally, there can be no debate between the two presidents. He [Putin] suggested just continuing the dialogue between the two heads of state," he explained.

The press secretary noted that Putin raised the issue of a conversation that would be broadcast live. "Certain comments were made by Mr. Biden, and these remarks are quite unprecedented, so in order not to let these statements harm bilateral Russian-American relations, which are already in a deplorable state, President Putin suggested discussing the situation but doing so openly," he clarified.

Read also

Biden ducks question on whether he’ll agree to live talk with Putin

Peskov stressed, that, in the opinion of the Russian leader, "this will be of interest to the peoples of both countries, Americans and Russians alike." "Since Biden’s remarks themselves were quite unprecedented, then it’s not possible to rule out unprecedented modes of communication," he stressed.

On Wednesday, Biden stated in an interview with ABC News that the Russian leadership would "pay a price" for allegedly meddling in US elections. Moreover, when asked whether he considered Putin to be a "killer," Biden answered that he did. Following that episode, the Russian president invited his US counterpart to hold an open dialogue live on Friday or on Monday. Putin said that he was ready to give the necessary instructions to the Foreign Ministry "right at this moment.".

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Dmitry Peskov Joseph Biden

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