Joe Biden consulted on Monday with key European allies to coordinate the message to be sent to Vladimir Putin at his virtual summit. American President Joe Biden and the heads of government of Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain, according to a statement from the French presidency, expressed their "determination" to ensure that the sovereignty of Ukraine "is respected", at the light of the "tensions between Russia and Ukraine". During the virtual summit, attended by Prime Minister Mario Draghi, the heads of government also assured "their commitment to act to maintain peace and security in Europe".
The Elysée added that the participants at the summit stressed the need for Russia to return to the negotiating table with Ukraine in the framework of the so-called 'Normandy' group, under the aegis of France and Germany.
The summit consultation between the US and Europeans took place on the eve of a videoconference summit scheduled today between Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, after the US warned Moscow that it was ready to react in the event of aggression to Ukraine.