White House: Putin-Biden meeting is no longer an option

This is the message of White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki, after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, scheduled to be held Thursday.

“Diplomacy cannot succeed if Russia does not change its stance”, Psaki said, adding as a condition for holding this meeting between the two leaders the reduction of tensions, which actually implies the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian border.

A day earlier, President Biden announced new sanctions on Russia following recognition of the independence of the regions in Donba and the Duma decision that allowed the delocation of Russian troops outside the country's territory.