Biden-Putin may hold summit meeting to avoid war, conditional 'in-principle agreement'

Efforts to avert war have intensified amid claims by US intelligence agencies that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack on Ukraine. President Joe Biden spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron on the phone. Macron's office then said a conditional "in principle agreement" had been reached between President Putin and President Biden on holding a summit meeting on the Ukraine crisis.

On Monday morning, the office of French President Macron issued a statement saying this. It has been said in the statement that the summit will take place only if Russia does not attack neighboring Ukraine. Macron proposed to the two leaders to hold a summit on security and strategic stability in Europe, the statement said. Both President Biden and Putin have accepted it in principle. The statement said such a meeting would be impossible if Russia attacked Ukraine because Western countries fear Russia is planning an attack. However, there has been no response from the White House on this statement of the French President's office.

Earlier on Sunday, in the talks between Biden and Macron, the gathering of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border and the ongoing diplomatic efforts to avoid the escalation and confrontation were discussed. Earlier on February 6, the Presidents of America and France had spoken in this matter. After the February 6 talks, Biden and Macron said they were committed to helping maintain Ukraine's sovereignty and integrity.

Biden also held a meeting of the US National Security Council on Sunday regarding the situation around Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin along with other members of the NSC were present in the meeting.

On the other hand, the Kremlin in Moscow issued a statement on Sunday saying that Macron and Russian President Putin had in-depth discussions about developments around Ukraine as well as long-term legal protection guarantees for Russia.

Meanwhile, US intelligence sources have claimed that Russian tanks have started moving towards Ukraine. According to these sources, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian forces to attack Ukraine and now the final plan of attack is underway. Under this plan, Russia will begin with a cyber attack before missiles and airstrikes, and finally the ground forces will capture the cities of Ukraine. The letters Z have been painted on Russian frontline army vehicles, tanks and these tanks are seen moving towards the Ukraine border.