Putin: "War if Ukraine joins NATO" vs Biden: "Will cut gas pipeline"

US-Germany and Russia-France Consecutive Summits... A Crucial Turning Point for Resolving the Situation

President Joe Biden of the United States and President Vladimir Putin of Russia
[Photo by AFP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Amid discussions of a potential military conflict between the West and Russia over Ukraine, on the 7th (local time), key stakeholders' leaders held a series of summits, marking an important turning point in efforts to resolve the situation, according to analyses.

On the 7th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House. Around the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Kremlin.

On this day, President Putin strongly warned that "Ukraine's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would provoke a conflict." President Biden also warned, "If Russia further invades Ukraine, we and all NATO allies are prepared to respond."

While both leaders maintained a firm stance on strong responses, they also expressed a willingness to seek solutions through dialogue. The active mediation by the two major European powers, Germany and France, signals a shift in the West's approach.

President Putin stated, "Some of President Macron's proposals could form the basis for compromise, and I will make every effort to find a middle ground." President Biden emphasized, "Diplomatic solutions are the best solutions," adding, "We will continue dialogue with Russia."

On the same day, President Moon Jae-in said, "There are considerable external uncertainties that could adversely affect our economy, including supply chains, the real economy, and financial markets," adding, "Global supply chain disruptions persist, international oil and raw material prices are soaring, and with the Ukraine situation compounding these issues, uncertainty is increasing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.