President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed "in principle" on Sunday to meet, US and French officials said, leaving a narrow window for diplomacy as Russia appeared on the brink of launching a new war in Ukraine.
The office of French President Emmanuel Macron said the two leaders had accepted the meeting and it would take place only if an attack doesn't occur. The details of the summit will be worked out this week, when Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Although senior US officials say they believe that Putin has made a decision to invade, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement that US officials "are committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moment an invasion begins."
She confirmed that Biden accepted the invitation — "again, if an invasion hasn't happened."
She also reiterated the administration's position that Russia seems to be "continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon."
Amid the diplomatic efforts, the United States has warned the United Nations that it has credible information showing that Moscow is compiling lists of Ukrainians "to be killed or sent to camps following a military occupation," according to a letter obtained by The Washington Post. The letter does not describe the nature of the intelligence that under girds its assessment.
The developments came after Russia continued to keep in place 30,000 troops it has deployed in neighbouring Belarus despite earlier promises to withdraw them by Sunday.
Earlier in the day, top administration officials echoed Biden's assessment from Friday that Putin has made a decision to invade within days.
"Everything leading up to an actual invasion appears to be taking place," Blinken said Sunday morning on CNN's "State of the Union."
Blinken said US officials will "use every opportunity and every minute we have" to see if Putin can be dissuaded. Blinken has sought to meet again with Lavrov this week. "The plan is still to do that — unless Russia invades in the meantime," Blinken said.
The Washington Post