Joe Biden privately persuading Ukraine to be open to peace talks with Russia: Report

The United States government is engaging in private discussions with Ukraine and attempting to convince the war-torn country to change its adamant stance of not participating in peace talks with Russia until President Vladimir Putin is ousted from power. According to a report by the Washington Post, sources “familiar with the discussions” said that the Biden administration is urging Ukraine to show openness to continue negotiation with Russia.

The appeal does not intend to force Ukraine, but is merely an attempt to ensure harmony as the threat of a nuclear war looms over the world and nations fear Russia’s impact on the global economy. One anonymous US official told the Post: “Ukraine fatigue is a real thing for some of our partners.”

While the White House National Security Council did not confirm the authenticity of the report, a State Department spokesperson said that the Kremlin is responsible for the escalation of the war. “The Kremlin has demonstrated its unwillingness to seriously engage in negotiations since even before it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” the unnamed spokesperson added. 

Biden warns Russia over nuclear threat

Last week, US President Joe Biden warned that Russia could make an “incredibly serious mistake” if it considers using nuclear weapons in Ukraine. “Let me just say: Russia would be making an incredibly serious mistake if it uses a tactical nuclear weapon,” the US President told journalists at the White House on October 25.

Earlier on October 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree that ruled out chances of peace talks with his Russian counterpart. The decree, which was adopted by Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council and inked by Zelenskyy, came as Russia prepared to annex four Ukrainian regions- Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. In a televised video address, Zelenskyy asserted that "He (Putin) does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but with another president of Russia.”