Joe Biden Europe Trip: White House Says President Has 'No Plans' to Travel to Ukraine; Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy Warns Over Possible World War III If Peace Talks Fail
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Sunday reiterated that President Joe Biden's trip to Europe this week does not involve plans to visit Ukraine.
According to The Daily Mail, Psaki's statement came after officials in Kyiv issued an open invitation to President Biden.
We will have additional details of @potus trip to Europe to announce later today. The trip will be focused on continuing to rally the world in support of the Ukrainian people and against President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine,
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) March 20, 2022
but there are no plans to travel into Ukraine.
"We will have additional details of @potus trip to Europe to announce later today... but there are no plans to travel into Ukraine," the White House press secretary said in a statement on Sunday.
Psaki also mentioned in her statement that Biden's travel to Europe will focus on "continuing to rally the world in support of the Ukrainian people and against President Putin's invasion of Ukraine."
Meanwhile, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, also said on Sunday that Biden visiting the war-torn country in the European region will not happen.
"This is a country at war. I can't imagine that that would be on the table," the ambassador told CNN, per The Daily Mail.
Psaki announced Biden's trip on Tuesday last week during a press briefing, claiming that the president's visit in Europe is an "opportunity" to engage in face-to-face diplomacy with his counterparts in the region, per The Hill.
President Joe Biden is set to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders' summit, as well as a European Union summit in Brussels to discuss the ongoing deterrence and defense efforts amid Russia's invasion.
Biden is scheduled to travel to Europe this coming Wednesday.
Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy Warns About Possible World Ward III
Psaki's comment about Pres. Joe Biden's European trip came the same day as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned about possible World War III if peace talks between his country and Russia fail, New York Post reported.
In a CNN interview, Zelenskyy said that he is ready for negotiations and that if there is only one percent stopping the war, they need to "take this chance," per the Post.
"I think we have to use any format, any chance in order to have a possibility of negotiating, the possibility of talking to Putin. But if these attempts fail, that would mean that this is a third World War," Zelenskyy underscored.
In the interview, Zelenskyy was asked about the demands Russia has expressed. The Ukrainian president said that Putin's country wants to recognize Crimea as part of Russia and two other areas of Ukrainian Donbas to be under its control.
However, Zelenskyy said that he cannot accept the terms Russia conveyed, per the Post.
Ukraine-Russia War Casualties
Sunday marks the 25th day Ukraine engaged in a war against Russia, The Daily Mail reported.
At least 902 Ukrainian civilians were reportedly killed since Russia attacked Ukraine. Of that number, 75 were reported to be children, CNBC reported.
The outlet also noted that the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded at least 1,459 people were injured, including 98 children, from February 24 to March 19.
The agency stated that most of the casualties are caused by explosive weapons with a "wide impact area."
Meanwhile, the UN's refugee agency noted that the Ukraine-Russia war caused 10 million Ukrainians to flee their homes. CNBC noted that the number reported included those who left the country and those who remain within the border.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written By: Joshua Summers
WATCH: President Biden Prepares to Travel to Europe for NATO Summit - From CBS Mornings
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