WASHINGTON, June 28. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden refused to answer questions from TASS about why he continues to escalate tensions around Ukraine and at the same time shirks meaningful talks with Russia to resolve the crisis.
After hearing these questions on Wednesday on the South Lawn of the White House, as well as an additional remark about Washington's intention to start supplying F-16 fighter-bombers to Kiev as part of that escalation, the US leader, who was speaking to reporters before flying to Chicago, Illinois, smiled back but did not utter a word.
In the meantime, Biden responded to a number of other questions, including some concerning Russia. In particular, he said it remained to be seen what aims the organizers of the attempted mutiny in Russia had in mind.
Biden also claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin's position was allegedly weakening and that he had become "a bit of a pariah around the world" because of the special military operation in Ukraine.
On the evening of June 23, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the PMC Wagner, said on his Telegram channel that his units had been attacked, and accused the military leadership of Russia. The Defense Ministry dismissed these allegations as false. PMC Wagner units who agreed to support Prigozhin headed for Rostov-on-Don and towards Moscow. The FSB opened a case over the call for armed mutiny. Russian President Vladimir Putin in a televised address described the PMC Wagner’s actions as treason. Later, by agreement with Putin, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held talks with Prigozhin. The PMC Wagner’s convoys turned back and returned to the field camps. The Kremlin later clarified that the criminal case against Prigozhin would be dropped and he would be allowed to move to Belarus. The Kremlin later said that the authorities would not prosecute PMC personnel for taking part in the mutiny in light of their accomplishments on the frontline. The criminal proceedings over the attempted armed mutiny were terminated, the FSB said.