Biden says he is prepared to speak with Putin about ending Ukraine war

US President Joe Biden said Thursday he is prepared to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the conflict in Ukraine but emphasized that the Russian leader has not yet demonstrated a willingness.

"There's one way for this war to end: the rational way, for Putin to pull out of Ukraine," Biden said during a news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron. "He's apparently not going to do that. He's paying a very heavy price for failing to do it, he's inflicting incredible, incredible carnage on the civilian population of Ukraine."

Still, the US president said that while he has "no immediate plans" to speak with his Russian counterpart, should Putin decide he is interested in ending the conflict "I'd be happy to sit down with Putin to see what he has in mind."