Italian PM calls for Russia ceasefire during Biden meeting

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday Russia hasn’t been willing to negotiate with Ukraine, echoing a dim U.S. intelligence view of a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine as the Italian Prime Minister called for a cease fire.

 ‘Well, I think to be clear, we’ve long supported ceasefires. It requires both the parties – including the party that is invaded the other country – to be a part of that and they haven’t shown a willingness to sit at the negotiating table,’ Psaki said.

She was asked about a comment by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi referencing ‘the possibility of bringing a ceasefire.’

So I think there have been efforts as you know, humanitarian ceasefires and others in a limited fashion in the past and the past couple of months, which the Russians have failed to implement,’ Psaki said at the White House press briefing.

She spoke after Draghi made an insistent call for a cease fire during his meeting with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office.

‘In Italy and Europe now, people want an end to this violence; these massacres, this butchering that’s happening,’ Draghi told reporters, speaking in English.

 ‘And people think about what can we do to bring peace,’ Draghi continued. ‘

People think that — at least they want to think about the possibility of bringing a ceasefire and starting again some credible negotiations. That’s the situation right now. I think that we have to think deeply on how to address this,’ he added.

Biden spoke after Draghi, but did not repeat his comments about a ceasefire – which comes as the U.S. is rushing weapons to Ukraine and pushing through a new $40 billion aid package for the besieged country.

‘I believe that a strong European Union is in the interest of the United States. Granted, that’s competition, economically, but it’s good. It’s good,’ Biden said.

The Italian’s remark came on a day when Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines testified that the U.S. didn’t see a ‘viable negotiating path forward at least in the short term’ between the two sides.

She also sketched out a view of a stalemate and a ‘war of attrition’ between the two sides that could be prolonged.

‘The uncertain nature of the battle which is developing into a war of attrition, combined with the reality that Putin faces a mismatch between his ambitions and Russia’s current conventional military capabilities likely means the next few months could see us moving along a more unpredictable and potentially escalatory trajectory,’ she said.

People think that — at least they want to think about the possibility of bringing a ceasefire and starting again some credible negotiations. That’s the situation right now. I think that we have to think deeply on how to address this,’ he added.

Biden spoke after Draghi, but did not repeat his comments about a ceasefire – which comes as the U.S. is rushing weapons to Ukraine and pushing through a new $40 billion aid package for the besieged country.

‘I believe that a strong European Union is in the interest of the United States. Granted, that’s competition, economically, but it’s good. It’s good,’ Biden said.

The Italian’s remark came on a day when Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines testified that the U.S. didn’t see a ‘viable negotiating path forward at least in the short term’ between the two sides.

She also sketched out a view of a stalemate and a ‘war of attrition’ between the two sides that could be prolonged.

‘The uncertain nature of the battle which is developing into a war of attrition, combined with the reality that Putin faces a mismatch between his ambitions and Russia’s current conventional military capabilities likely means the next few months could see us moving along a more unpredictable and potentially escalatory trajectory,’ she said.