WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th January, 2021) The United States has invited Russia to the inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden, a spokesperson of the Russian Embassy in Washington told Sputnik.
"An invitation has been received. Participation on the level of ambassador is planned," the embassy representative said.
Biden's inauguration is planned for January 20. Limited attendance is expected and initially it was reported that only members of Congress and their invited guests, no more than one per lawmaker, were going to be allowed at the ceremony.
US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence pledged to work together for the rest of their term during a Monday meeting at the White House, according to a senior US administration official.
Pence and Trump's relationship soured after the vice president upheld Biden's victory during the certification process in Congress last week that was interrupted when the president's supporters stormed Capitol Hill. The Monday meeting reportedly was the first one between Pence and Trump since the January 6 Capitol Hill riots, which Democrats have accused Trump of fueling.
Congressional Democrats have introduced articles of impeachment against Trump for allegedly inciting an insurrection and have called on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from power.
On January 6, a group of Trump's loyalists stormed the US Capitol building, clashing with police, damaging property, seizing the inauguration stage and occupying the rotunda. The unrest took place after Trump urged his supporters to protest what he claims is a stolen presidential election.
Trump has declared a state of emergency in the nation's capital ahead of Biden's inauguration.
On Monday, US media reported that the FBI had warned that armed protests were being planned in all 50 US state capitals, including the US Capitol building, in the final days leading up to Biden's inauguration on January 20.
