The summit between Putin and Biden was 'constructive'.
President Vladimir V. Putin described the summit meeting with his American counterpart as constructive, in which both sides showed goodwill and a desire for mutual understanding.
The first in-person summit between US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin took place in Geneva, Switzerland, after nearly four hours of discussions. No breakthroughs were announced to improve relations, which both sides acknowledge are at their lowest point since the Cold War, but it laid the groundwork for further discussions in the future.
The face-to-face meeting between the US and Russian leaders lasted nearly four hours, instead of the approximately five hours previously predicted by officials and experts. The meeting also followed both narrow and broad formats. The first meeting, attended only by the two presidents, their respective foreign ministers, and two interpreters, lasted longer than initially planned.
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After a 45-minute break, the two leaders entered into an expanded discussion session with the participation of top advisors. They frankly discussed disagreements in bilateral relations, numerous international and regional issues of mutual concern, and sought opportunities for cooperation on matters where the two countries share common interests. The two leaders also adopted a joint US-Russia statement on strategic stability to prevent nuclear war.
Speaking at a press conference after the summit concluded, President Joe Biden said: “President Putin and I share a responsibility to manage the relationship between these two powerful and proud nations. That relationship must be stable and predictable. We will be able to cooperate in areas of mutual interest. On issues where we differ, I want President Putin to understand why I say what I need to say, do what I need to do, and how we will respond to actions that harm American interests.”
Speaking at a separate press conference earlier, President Vladimir Putin described the summit with his American counterpart as constructive, in which both sides showed goodwill and a desire for mutual understanding. The Kremlin leader assessed the discussions as substantive, concrete, and taking place in an atmosphere aimed at achieving results.
President Vladimir Putin announced that the two countries have agreed to reinstate each other's ambassadors to carry out their assigned responsibilities, and that when this will happen is merely a technical matter. Putin stated that the two countries will begin consultations on cybersecurity and emphasized that both sides have certain obligations in this area.
President Vladimir Putin also stated that strategic nuclear stability is a shared responsibility of both Russia and the United States. The two countries will study adjustments to the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (NEW START), which was extended on February 5th. President Putin confirmed that he had discussed issues related to Ukraine with his American counterpart, but affirmed that there was nothing to discuss regarding the possibility of the neighboring country joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). President Putin also said that he had not received an invitation from President Joe Biden to visit the White House in the near future.
According to observers, although both leaders cited positive results from their first face-to-face meeting in their private press conference, deep divisions between the two countries remain evident on issues related to cyberattacks and human rights.
