The Kremlin has responded to calls by US President Joe Biden for an end to the war in Ukraine and has ruled out withdrawing its own troops from there. "Of course, the special military operation continues," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. "But at the same time, President (Vladimir) Putin was, is and remains open to contacts, to negotiations," Peskov added.

Biden had previously stated that he would only be open to talks with Putin if Russia was ready to end the war against Ukraine. "But the fact is I have no immediate plans to contact Mr. Putin," Biden said Thursday. "I'm willing to talk to Mr. Putin if there really is an interest on his part and he's looking for a way to end the war. So far he hasn't done that." If this is the case, he wants to consult with the allies.