US Calls on Moscow to De-Escalate, Biden-Putin Meeting Under Discussion

LOCAL NEWS

• US calls on Moscow to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine, saying The Biden administration said it has "serious concerns" over Russia's threatening military presence on Ukraine's border after Press Secretary Psaki addressed reporters last night.
  • Reports also show the US is considering new weaponry and advisers to Ukraine
• Lavrov says the next Biden-Putin meeting is under discussion, and will touch on the topic of Ukraine.
  • Lavrov also stressed the importance of the Normandy format, saying all agreements should be implemented in the Minsk format and that no new frameworks were needed
• US State Department submits report suggesting sanctions on two vessels, and one Russia-linked entity involved in Nord Stream 2 in line with the Protecting Europe's energy security act of 2019.
  • Blinken said that despite its sanctions, the US still continues to work with Germany and other allies to reduce the risks posed by NS2 and Russia in the energy sphere
• Belarus & the EU launch the first practical steps to de-escalate the situation on the Poland-Belarus border, but tensions are still high. has intensified its dialogue with Minsk to resolve the migration crisis.
  • On Monday, a group of experts from the European Commission visited the Belarusian Foreign Ministry to discuss the issue. The key task of the EU is to agree on the repatriation of migrants "stuck in Belarus." - Kommersant