In Beijing, Putin invites Biden to come over for 'pancakes and tea'
File photo of US President Joe Biden alongside an image showing Russian President Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin has thrown an unpromising invitation to US President Joe Biden for a cup of tea in Moscow. Putin's purported invite came a day afterUkraine attacked Russian targets with missile system covertly supplied to Kyiv by Washington.
These long-range missiles are known as ATACMS or Army Tactical Missile System and were designed during the end of the Cold War for deep-strike missions on priority targets detrimental to American interests.
Putin invited Biden "for pancakes and tea" after holding talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
'If Russia has lost the war...': Vladimir Putin's big statement
Putin delivered these remarks during a rare trip to Beijing.When asked by a journalist about US President JoeBiden’s comment that Russia had already lost the war in Ukraine, Putin appeared incensed.
Also watch |Gravitas: Ukraine proves America's billion-dollar weapons are not invincible
"If Russia has lost the war, why do they [the US] supply ATACMS?" Putin asked.
"Let them take them back, and all the other weapons. He [Biden] can take a seat and eat pancakes and visit us for some tea."
Putin's 'tea' remark for Joe Biden: What does it mean?
A number of Vladimir Putin's opponents as well as Russian dissidents have died in suspicious circumstances and alleged poisoning instances.
A few of these dissidents have died after drinking poisoned cup(s) of tea.
Two years ago, the European Court of Human Rights found the Kremlin responsible for the 2006 assassination of Alexander Litvinenko, 43, a Putin critic who reportedly died after drinking green tea at a London hotel.
The Kremlin had denounced the verdict.
Similarly, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned in Siberiaafter a powder dissolved in a liquidwas reportedly put into his teahe drank at a Russian airport.
Putin added that Washington's deliveries of its weaponswere a "mistake".
"There’s nothing good for Ukraine in this. It just prolongs the agony," he added.
Vladimir Putin is a guest of honour at a summit in Beijing, attended by the likes of a Taliban minister among others, to mark the 10th anniversary of China's expansionist trade project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
WATCH WION LIVE HERE
You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.