Ukraine war: Biden will not talk to Putin; Russia to encircle Bakhmut; Estonia wants HIMARS
US President Joe Biden does not intend to speak to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, about ending the Ukraine war as conditions for such discussions currently do not exist, the White House said on Friday.
"We're just not at a point now where talks seem to be a fruitful avenue to approach right now," national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
His comment underscored the chasm between Ukraine and its main backer and Russia on negotiations more than nine months into the war ignited by Putin's invasion that has killed tens of thousands, uprooted millions and destroyed cities and towns.
As part of a multi-pronged international campaign to curb Russia's ability to wage war, the Group of Seven (G7) nations and Australia on Friday said they had agreed a $60 (€56.9) per barrel price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil.
The G7 and Australia said in a statement the cap would take effect on 5 December or very soon thereafter. It aims to reduce Russia's income from selling oil while preventing a spike in global prices.
EU governments, which have resolved their differences and agreed to the cap, will now need to formally approve it over the weekend.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a phone call on Friday that the German and Western line on Ukraine was "destructive" and urged Berlin to rethink its approach, the Kremlin said.
Its readout of the call served to highlight the gulf between Russia and Western governments over Ukraine, even though Moscow and Washington have both said in the past 24 hours that they are open in principle to talks.
"Attention was drawn to the destructive line of Western states, including Germany, which are pumping the Kyiv regime with weapons and
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