"Demonstrated a desire to look for ways to converge positions": what Putin and Biden discussed at the talks in Geneva

In Geneva on Wednesday, June 16, a meeting was held between the Presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden.

The talks, together with a break, lasted about 3.5 hours. 

The previous summit of Moscow and Washington at the level of heads of state was held in the summer of 2018 in Helsinki.

Before the start of the talks, Vladimir Putin noted that there are many issues in relations between Russia and the United States, and expressed hope that the current summit will be productive.

“Mr. President, I want to thank you for your initiative of this meeting.

Many questions have accumulated in Russian-American relations, ”the Russian leader noted.

In turn, Joe Biden said that he expects to discuss with Putin areas of potential cooperation, as well as existing differences in relations between the countries.

The leaders' meeting consisted of three parts: first, Putin and Biden talked in a narrow circle, then with a break, talks in an expanded format took place.

After that, the heads of state each held their own press conference.

"In a principled way"

Vladimir Putin, answering journalists' questions, noted that the meeting was held "in a principled manner" and stressed that there was "no hostility at all."

The Russian leader described the conversation as constructive.

“... On many points, our assessments differ, but, in my opinion, nevertheless, both sides demonstrated a desire to understand each other and look for ways to converge their positions,” the president said.

During the meeting, as Putin noted, topics such as strategic stability, cyber security, regional conflicts, trade relations and cooperation in the Arctic were touched upon.

In particular, Putin said that during the negotiations an agreement was reached on the return of the ambassadors who had previously been recalled for consultations to their duty stations in Moscow and Washington.

“This issue has been resolved,” he said.

Another agreement was the beginning of consultations between the Russian Foreign Ministry and the US State Department on diplomatic cooperation.

Putin noted that "a lot of rubble has accumulated," but both sides are determined to find a solution.

The Russian leader called the topic of cybersecurity extremely important, adding that it was decided to start consultations on this matter.

Putin noted that, according to American sources, the largest number of cyber attacks in the world are carried out from the US cyberspace, followed by Canada, then two Latin American countries, then Great Britain.

“Russia is not included in this list of countries, from the territory from whose cyberspace the greatest number of cyber attacks of various kinds is carried out, as you can see,” the president pointed out.

• AFP

• © Mikhail METZEL

In addition, Putin noted that in 2020 Moscow received 10 requests from the United States regarding cyber attacks on United States facilities, carried out, according to Washington, from the cyberspace of Russia.

Two such inquiries were received this year, and Moscow provided comprehensive answers to all these inquiries.

“In turn, Russia sent 45 such requests to the relevant structure of the United States last year, and 35 in the first half of this year. We have not received a single answer so far.

This suggests that we have something to work on, ”Putin stressed.

Minsk agreements, Navalny and Biden's rhetoric

During the meeting, the issue of the situation in Ukraine was also raised, but, as Putin noted, it was not discussed in detail.

“But as far as I understood President Biden, he agrees that the Minsk agreements should be the basis for the settlement in southeastern Ukraine,” the Russian leader said.

At the same time, he noted that facilitating the implementation of these agreements is the only obligation of Russia regarding Ukraine. 

“If the Ukrainian side is ready for this, we will follow this path, without any doubt,” the president said.

At the same time, Putin drew attention to the fact that Kiev's proposals: to return the Ukrainian armed forces to their places of permanent deployment, to close part of the border between Russia and Ukraine, and to hold elections three months after these two steps, completely contradict the Minsk agreements.

“You don't need to be any lawyer, you don't need to have a special education to understand that this has nothing to do with the Minsk agreements.

This completely contradicts the Minsk agreements.

Therefore, what additional obligations can Russia undertake here?

I think the answer is clear, ”he said.

At the press conference, the president was also asked about the statement that Joe Biden made about the Russian leader in March during an interview with ABC News.

Let us remind you that then the US President answered in the affirmative to a journalist's question whether he considers Putin a “killer”. 

According to Putin, after that Biden called him and explained himself. 

“These explanations suited me.

He invited us to meet - this is his initiative.

We met and, I repeat, the conversation was very constructive.

Once again I was convinced that President Biden is a very experienced person, this is quite obvious.

We talked face to face with him for almost two hours.

Not all leaders have a face-to-face conversation in such detail, ”Putin stressed.

In addition, the Russian leader answered a question about the situation with the detention of Alexei Navalny.

Putin explained that Navalny was obliged to register as a person who was twice sentenced to a suspended sentence, but he deliberately ignored the requirement of the law.

When the blogger went abroad for treatment, the authorities did not require him to register, the president recalled.

However, when he left the hospital and started posting videos on the Internet, such a demand arose.

“He did not appear, ignored the requirement of the law - he was put on the wanted list.

Knowing this, he came.

I proceed from the fact that he deliberately decided to be detained.

He did what he wanted.

So what can we talk about here? "

- Vladimir Putin explained.

At the same time, the president, speaking of the opposition, said that the United States declared Russia its enemy and adversary in 2017, when provisions were introduced into American legislation that the United States should maintain democratic governance in Russia and support political organizations.

“Now let's ask ourselves the question: if Russia is the enemy, what kind of organizations will America support in Russia?

I think that not those that strengthen the Russian Federation, but those that hold it back, and this is the goal of the United States, declared publicly, ”Putin stressed.

Such organizations, he noted, contribute to the implementation of the policy of the United States in the Russian direction.

“How should we feel about this?

I think it's understandable: we should be wary of this.

But we will act exclusively within the framework of Russian law, ”the president concluded.

Strategic Stability Dialogue

Another outcome of the talks was a joint statement by the leaders of Russia and the United States on strategic stability.

The statement, in particular, notes that even during periods of tension, Moscow and Washington are able to make progress in realizing joint goals to ensure predictability in the strategic sphere, reduce the risks of armed conflicts and the threat of nuclear war.

“The recent extension of the START Treaty is a testament to our commitment to nuclear arms control.

Today we reaffirm our adherence to the principle that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be unleashed, ”the Kremlin press service quotes the text of the statement.

The document emphasizes that in order to achieve these goals, Russia and the United States will soon launch a comprehensive bilateral dialogue on strategic stability, which will become the basis for future arms control and risk reduction measures.

During the press conference, Vladimir Putin stressed that Russia and the United States, as the two largest nuclear powers, have a special responsibility for strategic stability in the world.

To the gallery page

“We are aware of this responsibility.

I think that it is obvious to everyone that President Biden made a responsible and, in our opinion, absolutely timely decision to extend the START-3 Treaty for five years, which means until 2024, ”Putin said.

The President added that during the talks, an agreement was reached to start consultations at the interdepartmental level under the auspices of the US State Department and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this issue.

"There is no substitute for face-to-face dialogue between leaders"

In turn, US President Joe Biden, speaking to reporters, said that the tone of the meeting was positive, and that the meeting itself took place because "there is no substitute for face-to-face dialogue between leaders."

“President Putin and I have a unique responsibility to build relationships between two strong and proud countries.

And this relationship must be stable and predictable, ”Biden said.

According to him, the US agenda is not directed against Russia.

Biden also said that during the talks they discussed issues of strategic stability and cybersecurity, human rights, the situation in Ukraine and Belarus, as well as Afghanistan, Iran and Syria.

“I told President Putin that we need basic rules of the game ... We must be able to cooperate where it is in our common interest,” the American leader said.