Biden has no plan to meet with Putin at G-20, White House says

President Joe Biden volition not conscionable with Russian President Vladimir Putin astatine the Group of 20 acme adjacent period — adjacent to sermon the merchandise of American hoops prima Brittney Griner — White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said during a briefing connected Wednesday.

Biden “has nary volition of gathering with President Putin,” Jean-Pierre said successful effect to a reporter’s question astir whether the White House has been successful connection with Moscow astir specified a meeting.

The president powerfully believes “that the Russians request to instrumentality the superior connection that we enactment guardant connected the table, oregon marque a superior counter-offer to negotiate, but successful bully faith,” Jean-Pierre said, reiterating, “he has nary volition of gathering with Vladimir Putin.”

In an interrogation that aired connected Tuesday, Biden told CNN’s Jake Tapper helium had nary program to conscionable with the Russian leader, but would marque an objection if Putin was unfastened to discussing Griner’s release.

“Look, I person nary volition of gathering with him,” Biden said. “But for example, if helium came to maine astatine the G-20 and said, ‘I privation to speech astir the merchandise of Griner,’ I’d conscionable with him. I mean, it would depend.”

Griner, who was arrested successful February aft Russian authorities recovered vape canisters containing cannabis oil successful her luggage astatine Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, was sentenced to 9 years successful Russian prison successful August. She appealed the verdict soon after, and a Russian tribunal set her entreaty date for Oct. 25.