Putin: "Wants to preserve relations with the United States" | Israel Today

Despite sanctions the US administration intends to impose on Moscow in the coming days, the Russian president has instructed the State Department to prepare the ground for the virtual talks with Biden

• Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden

  Photo: 

  IPI

Russian President Vladimir Putin said today (Thursday) that he had instructed the State Department to prepare the ground for the virtual talks with Biden, in the hope that they would take place on Friday or Monday.

Putin has said he wants to preserve relations with the U.S., despite sanctions the Biden administration intends to impose on Moscow in the coming days amid its alleged attempt to undermine the credibility of the November presidential election, and help Republican candidate Donald Trump, who has been accused of being too close to Putin. 

Putin's remarks came shortly after the Russian president said Biden's remarks that he was a "murderer" reflected the way he saw himself.

"We always judge human beings by the qualities we attribute to ourselves," Putin told Russian television.

The White House said in response that Biden did not apologize for what he said about the Russian president, but that he too wanted to maintain good relations with Russia, and that unlike Putin, there was no intention to return the US ambassador to the council.