Biden declines to take questions about call with President Xi before flying to Delaware beach home

Ahead of the NATO summit, President Joe Biden left Friday evening and headed to his Delaware beach home to spend the weekend amid Russia's war in Ukraine.

Biden was expected to arrive at 6 pm Friday, leaving Washington behind as the war in Ukraine intensifies. Meanwhile, signs of "Support for Ukraine" appear all over Sussex County and throughout the First State, according to WRDE Coast TV.

The spring break trip is one of many visits Biden has taken to Delaware over the course of a crisis-filled year. The triple-vaxxed Bidens were photographed wearing masks while walking the family dog alone on Rehoboth Beach in late December.

Before flying to his Rehoboth Beach-area residence in his home state of Delaware, the beach-bound US president declined to answer questions from the press about his call with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier Friday morning.

Biden bypassed the gathered press pool to greet a group of White House staffers and friends, USA Today correspondent Joey Garrison reported.

"How was the call with Xi?!" a reporter shouted to a walking Biden.

Biden reportedly warned against China aiding Russia in the war effort during the two-hour morning phone conversation with Xi. Earlier in the week, US officials said Russia has asked China for military aid in the Ukraine invasion.

According to local outlet Cape Gazzette's report Friday, the Daily Guidance and Press Schedule issued Thursday by the White House did not provide a departure date for Biden; however, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a no-fly zone over the surrounding area through 12:15 pm Sunday, the report said.

Biden is scheduled to depart for Brussels, Belgium, next week, as the situation continues to escalate in Eastern Europe, where NATO leaders will "discuss ongoing deterrence and defense efforts in response to Russia's unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine as well as to reaffirm our ironclad commitment" to NATO allies.

According to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, the US president will join the "extraordinary" NATO summit that is slated to convene on March 24.

In addition, Biden is also expected to join a scheduled European Council Summit to express "shared concerns about Ukraine, including transatlantic efforts to impose economic costs on Russia, provide humanitarian support to those affected by the violence, and to address other challenges related to the conflict."