Ms. Fihn, your organization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its work against nuclear weapons.

Now, Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin, the world's two nuclear superpowers, are meeting on your doorstep in Geneva.

What are you hoping for?

Sofia Dreisbach

Editor in politics.

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    It's an exciting moment.

    There are of course a range of topics, but I think nuclear weapons are high on the list.

    Russia and the United States have ninety percent of all nuclear arsenals.

    These two individuals, Biden and Putin, have the ability to wipe out pretty much the whole world.

    So that will be an important part of the talks.

    Overall, however, expectations of the meeting are low.

    Do you have a different opinion?

    The context is important.

    Over the past decade we have seen a constant deterioration in the relationship, a new nuclear arms race with modernization programs.

    A report of ours released last week shows that more money than ever was being spent on nuclear weapons - in a pandemic.

    This week's numbers from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute also show that the number of operational nuclear weapons is increasing, for the first time since the 1980s, when the great nuclear arms race took place.

    It is a very worrying situation.

    And of course we don't expect these issues to be resolved immediately, but I think it's an important signal.

    It could be the start of constructive discussions.

    How specific could the outcome of the conversation between the presidents be?

    I very much hope that both recognize that we are currently in a bad situation, that the trend is negative.

    That they recognize, like Gorbachev and Reagan 1985, that we cannot go this way.

    That they recognize the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of using nuclear weapons.

    I hope they agree to make a new follow-up agreement.

    Of course, we cannot agree to renew the New START agreement, but I hope that you will commit to it: we want to go back there.

    President Putin provokes the moment he can.

    Why should he get involved?

    Nuclear weapons are extremely dangerous, extremely expensive and pose a high risk.

    There is no medical capacity in Russia or any other country to deal with the consequences of an attack.

    And the risk that they will be used is the highest for a long time, say scientists and experts.

    We don't have a Cold War, but we have the modernization programs, evolving missile technologies, hacking and cyber attacks, the manipulation of information.

    This can accidentally start a nuclear war.

    According to the United States and NATO, Russia had violated the INF treaty, which has now expired.

    Why should America move on now?

    The tensions between the two countries and between NATO and Russia are not conducive to anyone.

    Growing hostility, human rights, cybersecurity, energy policy - it is in the interests of both countries to improve relations.

    Like in 2011, before the annexation of Ukraine, when the situation was much better.

    I think diplomacy and dialogue are very much needed.

    Not just between Biden and Putin, but with competent advisors in the background who can lead the technical discussions.

    Putin tends to take things personally.

    Biden called him a "killer".

    Do you think it is possible that things will escalate between the two of them?

    I am the mother of two young children and sometimes I think: they are like children. For example, the media is obsessed with the statesmen's handshakes: who has the strongest? That becomes machism. And we have seen the worst example of toxic masculinity in some of the world's leaders. It was the same with Biden: Was the proposal for the meeting too early? Are you buckled? An unhelpful and very toxic mentality. It's all about who is the toughest and strongest. And I think if we've learned anything in the past year, it's that strength and threats don't save anyone, but care, cooperation and collaboration - nurses and doctors. To see who of Biden and Putin smiles the least in photos, who has the strongest handshake, who is the greatest macho - that is very dangerous.The two are pushed into a corner where they have to play this role. Instead of having a dialogue that is interpreted as a weakness.