Putin, Biden to discuss Ukraine, NATO’s expansion, other issues by video link — Kremlin
It will be necessary to discuss what is being done to implement the understandings that were achieved in Geneva, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted
MOSCOW, December 6. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden will discuss tensions over Ukraine, NATO’s expansion towards the Russian borders and the Russian leader’s initiative for security guarantees by video link on December 7, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Monday.
"It will be necessary to discuss what is being done to implement the understandings that were achieved in Geneva and to take a look at what is being implemented to the full extent and what requires extra efforts. Of course, this concerns bilateral relations, whose condition remains deplorable," the Kremlin official said.
"Then the presidents will discuss the high-profile issues on the agenda - in the first place, tensions over Ukraine, NATO’s expansion towards our borders and Putin’s security guarantees initiative," Peskov said.
He stressed that security guarantees could not be unilateral. "There can be only mutual guarantees," he remarked.
"President Putin is a politician who insists on mutual respect and equitable bilateral relations," the Kremlin spokesman said.
Peskov said the Kremlin’s press-service would publish a news release following the talks. "We will issue a news release, the way we usually do," the presidential spokesman added. He said that a conference call for the media would be arranged, if necessary, but for the time being it was not on the agenda. Peskov answered in the negative, when asked if Putin was expected to make a statement following the conversation.