White House has not 'ruled out diplomacy forever' with Russia, Psaki says
Psaki also said that the US was 'not in a business-as-usual moment' amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden White House has not "ruled out diplomacy forever" with Russia amid the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Psaki said the U.S. would not be completely icing out the Eastern European aggressor "forever" during the White House daily press briefing on Friday.
Psaki was also asked why President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin were not talking.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Because (Putin's) invading a sovereign country," she replied.
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White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House Feb. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
"I would say that a moment where a leader is beginning and in the middle of invading a sovereign country is not the moment where diplomacy feels appropriate," Psaki said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It does not mean we have not ruled out diplomacy forever. Obviously the president remains open to engaging on a leader-to-leader level, but this is not the moment."
Psaki also said the U.S. was "not in a business-as-usual moment" amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Psaki also confirmed the U.S. will join the European Union in sanctioning Russian President Vladimir Putin personally over the invasion of Ukraine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Biden speaks about his administration's global COVID-19 vaccination efforts ahead of the G-7 summit June 10, 2021, in St. Ives, England. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
"In alignment with the decision by our European allies, the United States will join them in sanctioning President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov," Psaki said.
Psaki was pressed by reporters about whether the president made the decision to sanction Putin specifically after a press conference during which the president dodged multiple questions on the subject.
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a video address in Moscow announcing the start of the military operation in eastern Ukraine in a still image taken from video footage released Feb. 24, 2022. (Russian Pool/Reuters TV via REUTERS )
Biden’s press secretary responded that the personal sanctions on Putin have "been on the table for some time" but confirmed the final decision to do so was made "over the last 24 hours."
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The sanctions also include a travel ban on Russia, but it is unclear if the ban would extend to Putin himself.
Psaki’s announcement comes as Russian forces bombard the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv in an attempted decapitating strike. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have condemned the attack on the sovereign nation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital’s Jon Michael Raasch contributed reporting.