Russian President Vladimir Putin described the meeting with his US counterpart Joe Biden as “constructive” but also said it was “difficult to say” whether relations would improve. However, he says there is a “glimmer of hope”.
The meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin concluded in Geneva on Wednesday evening. The US delegation reported that the conversation eventually took 3 hours and 21 minutes, less than the four to five hours it had initially promised. It was the first time the two had met each other since Biden took office early this year.
The two men met at Villa La Grange, a lakeside property in Geneva. They were welcomed into the “City of Peace” by Swiss President Guy Parmelin, who congratulated them on what was expected to be a tense conversation.
separate press conference
During the meeting, the two likely discussed nuclear weapons, arms control, and the conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria and Libya. Biden has also previously made clear that he will provoke human rights abuses in Russia. After the meeting, Biden and Putin held separate press conferences. The US president insisted on this because he felt that a free press could then be treated “more honestly”. Putin was the first to act, followed by Biden.
Not against Russia, but for America
At his press conference, Putin said the talks “were constructive.” He said there was no hostility. “Joe Biden is a brilliant statesman,” he added. According to Putin, he showed that there is a will to understand each other. At the same time, he did not speak on a friendly tone. According to Putin, these were “pragmatic talks about the interests of the two countries.” Putin noted that neither of them invited the other to receive each other in their country.
Biden stressed the importance of an eye meeting face to face. He said he told the Russian president that “some ground rules, such as leadership” were needed. “We all have to commit to that. I did what I came here to do: identify what both countries could do to improve our common interests, and things that would benefit the rest of the world. And it worked. The tone of the meeting was positive,” Biden said, stressing that he was not anti-Russian, But with America.
Both stressed that ensuring that the relationship between both grades is stable and predictable is a shared responsibility.
relationship below zero
The meeting comes at a time when the relationship between Russia and the United States is below zero. Biden described Putin as a man without a soul, and even shortly after taking office he was a “murderer.” So Moscow was surprised when the US president suggested holding a meeting. Putin then said he was satisfied with the explanation Biden would have given him about the ruling.
Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, and its brutal crushing of any form of dissent, has caused tensions between the two superpowers for some time.
As a result of heightened tensions between the two countries, ambassadors in Moscow and Washington were recalled to their countries earlier this year. According to Putin, he and Biden agreed that the ambassadors would return to their posts. It is not clear when exactly this will happen. But according to Putin, this is a “purely technical issue”.
cyber attacks
Russian interference in the US presidential election has long been a thorn in the US side. The United States also accuses Russia of being behind the latter Cyber attack on the colonial pipeline, the largest pipeline company in the country.
Putin has previously strongly denied that Russia is behind this. The Russian president described the idea as “ridiculous”. He reiterated his position: “It is important that the United States stop hinting and start bringing in more expertise.” He said during his press conference that his delegation had given the Americans “a lot of information” about the recent cyber attacks. According to Putin, he and his US counterpart agreed to “consult” each other on cyber attacks. “Cyber security will become more important for both countries in the near future,” Putin said. At the same time, he accused the United States of launching cyber attacks against Russia.
According to Biden, who started his press conference after Putin, clear agreements were reached on cybersecurity. Sixteen infrastructures have been identified Out of bounds to be. Biden: Russia agreed. But agreement is one thing, and putting it into practice is another.
Putin defends Navalny’s prison
Putin believes that the imprisonment of the main opposition politician of his country, Alexei Navalny, is justified. Putin says Navalny deliberately ignored Russian laws.
The American president did not stop there. “If he dies, the consequences will be devastating for Russia,” Biden warned his counterpart.
