October 12, 2022

President Joe Biden will not meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Group of 20 summit next month — even to discuss the release of American basketball star Brittney Griner — White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a briefing on Wednesday.

Biden “has no intention of meeting with President Putin,” Jean-Pierre said in response to a reporter’s question about whether the White House has been in communication with Moscow about such a meeting.

The president strongly believes “that the Russians need to take the serious offer that we put forward on the table, or make a serious counter-offer to negotiate, but in good faith,” Jean-Pierre said, reiterating, “he has no intention of meeting with Vladimir Putin.”

Read more: