Putin announces agreement with Biden on the return of the two ambassadors

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that talks with his US counterpart Joe Biden in Geneva were "very constructive", noting that the two leaders agreed on the return of their ambassadors.

"They will return to their places of work," Putin said at a press conference after the summit in Geneva, adding that the timing of their return was "a purely procedural matter."

Putin also announced that he had agreed with Biden to hold "consultations on cyber security."

The Russian president compared Biden to his predecessor, Donald Trump, saying, "He (Biden) is a very balanced and professional man," praising his American counterpart.

"It is clear that he has a lot of experience," Putin added, praising Biden's moral values.

He also noted a change in approach since the end of Trump's term, noting that Biden's predecessor was "different."

Putin stated that Biden "did not invite me to the White House... No such invitation was given," adding that conditions must be met for this type of meeting.

Putin did not rule out reaching "compromises" on the prisoner exchange with the United States, and said, "We discussed the matter, there may be certain settlements," explaining that the issue was raised by Biden during their summit in Geneva.

Putin also said Wednesday that Washington should not worry about Russia's militarization of the strategic Arctic, where Russia does not hide its ambitions.

He said, "The concern of the American side about militarization is baseless... On the contrary, I am convinced that we should cooperate."

Regarding imprisoned Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, Putin said he had violated the law when he went to Germany for treatment after being poisoned.

"This person knew he was breaking the law in Russia," he said, referring to Navalny's breach of suspended prison terms.

A White House official had announced that the summit meeting between the Russian and US presidents in Geneva concluded today, Wednesday, with the end of an expanded bilateral meeting that included senior aides at 5:05 pm (1505 GMT).

He added that there had only been one extended bilateral meeting.

"Mr. President, I would like to thank you for your initiative to meet today," Putin said, sitting next to Biden. "US-Russian relations have witnessed the accumulation of many issues that require meeting at the highest levels."

Biden said they would try to identify areas of cooperation and common interests.

"It is always better to meet face to face," he said. 

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