A summit meeting between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin is planned to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict.

French President Emmanuel Macron proposed such a meeting to the two on Sunday and then another with everyone involved, according to the Élysée Palace in Paris.

Both would have agreed to the principle of such a meeting.

The content of the summit is to be determined by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Russian colleague Sergey Lavrov at a meeting on Thursday.

The summit can only take place if Russia does not invade Ukraine.

President Biden has “in principle” agreed to a meeting with Putin, the White House said.

"We are always ready for diplomacy," it said.

Biden again threatened Russia with sanctions.

It is also prepared to impose swift and severe consequences if Russia chooses war, it said.

At present, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale and early attack on the

According to Western sources, Russia has massed around 150,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine, but denies planning an attack on the neighboring country.