Italian leader urges Ukraine ceasefire in visit with Biden

By CHRIS MEGERIAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has hosted Italian Premier Mario Draghi at the White House as the U.S. works to maintain trans-Atlantic unity over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Draghi repeated his calls for a ceasefire, something the U.S. believes is unlikely. The gap between the two countries reflects divergent approaches to the war despite the close coordination between Biden and European allies. Biden’s director of national intelligence, Avril Haines, testified earlier Tuesday that both Ukraine and Russia believe they can make progress on the battlefield at this point. She added that U.S. officials do “not see a viable negotiating path forward, at least in the short term.”