Biden Putin
US President Joe Biden and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Image Credit: AFP

Washington: US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that now is the time to de-escalate tensions after slapping new sanctions on Russia, saying there is still room for the two countries to work together.

“I was clear with President Putin that we could have gone further, but I chose not to do so,” Biden said in remarks to the press, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I chose to be proportionate.”