White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks at a news conference ahead of a meeting with President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023 (AP)

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is planning to host a pivotal meeting with E3 states (UK, France, and Germany), according to an exclusive report by Axios based on confidential information disclosed by European diplomats.

This high-profile meeting is set to delve into a range of international concerns, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the escalating tensions with China; the meeting's reported purpose is to foster coordinated stances and actions between the four countries on pertinent topics.

The meeting will reportedly be held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, according to the European diplomats cited by Axios.

While the meeting was scheduled well in advance, it has gained additional significance in light of the recent death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner PMC, in a plane crash, which is expected to offset instability in Russia by Western leaders.

Yesterday, after being asked about the plane crash, President Biden said "There's not much that happens in Russia that Putin is not behind. But I don't know enough to know the answer".

Last night, the Federal Air Transport Agency Rosaviatsia confirmed Wagner Group private military company (PMC) leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was aboard the private jet that crashed.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed that a private plane on its way from Moscow to St. Petersburg crashed in the Tver Region on Wednesday, announcing that the incident killed all 10 people aboard.

The US President has expressed he was "not sure" what caused the crash but revealed he was "not surprised" by the news.

He steered clear of pointing any fingers at Russian President Vladimir Putin when asked and carefully responded that he did not have enough facts to answer.

A couple of days ago, Prigozhin announced his return to Africa to fight terrorism in a video clip.

"We work in temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius," he said, adding, "The Wagner Group makes Russia great on all continents, makes Africa freer, and establishes justice".