Russia Finally Slips Up
NewsweekDec 01, 2022
Day 282 Roundup: Biden 'Prepared to Speak' with Putin; Kremlin Says Putin Open to Negotiations
Photo: Getty Images [via CBS News]
The Facts
During a state visit to the US from French Pres. Emmanuel Macron on Thursday — seen as a move to repair a frayed relationship between the US and France amid European concerns over the Inflation Reduction Act — US Pres. Biden said he was prepared to speak to Russia's Vladimir Putin if it meant ending the war in Ukraine.
"The fact of the matter is, I have no immediate plans to contact Mr. Putin," Biden said in a response to a reporter. He continued: "I'm prepared to speak with Mr. Putin if in fact there is an interest in him deciding he's looking for a way to end the war. He hasn't done that yet. If that's the case, in consultation with my French and my NATO friends, I'll be happy to sit down with Putin to see what he has in mind."
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
Of course, the US and NATO are participants in this conflict. They are supplying weapons, training personnel, and are involved in planning and logistics. However, despite the West's behavior and characterizations, Russia is nevertheless prepared to hold negotiations.
Nerd narrative
There is a 2% chance that Putin and Zelenskyy will meet to discuss the peaceful resolution of the Russian-Ukraine conflict before 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
