Putin wants to restore his party's popularity before the elections
The Kremlin seeks an organized confrontation with the United States
The first meeting between Biden and Putin in Geneva.
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President Putin's visit to Geneva is his first outside Russia since the beginning of the epidemic, after spending most of the past year isolated at his official residence near Moscow. The Kremlin discussed the idea of holding an online meeting, but Putin was drawn to the prospect of returning to the stage in the midst of a great-power summit. Relations between the United States and Russia have rarely been this bad since Putin came to power more than 20 years ago, who has work experience with four American presidents. Expectations of substantive progress were very low on both sides. However, this does not matter much to the Kremlin; He only seeks some predictability and stability in relationships.
In it, Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of the Russia Journal of Global Affairs, which is close to policymakers in the Kremlin, wrote, “Despite the mutual curiosity that Trump and Putin felt for each other, relations between the two countries fell into a state of ruin.” To get rid of the unnatural, unhealthy and irrational atmosphere that has developed between the two countries in recent years, and it may seem strange that Russia and the United States need an organized confrontation.”
A return to traditional forms of diplomacy is unlikely to mean a softer approach by the United States.
Since taking office last January, US President Joe Biden has imposed two new sets of sanctions on Moscow;
The first was in response to an intelligence report accusing Russia of infiltrating US government agencies, and the second after the near-fatal poisoning of imprisoned Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.
Given the fragility of Russia's economic situation, Putin will remain keen to avoid further sanctions.
Some critics worry that the Kremlin's propaganda machine has taken over the political scene, especially during Biden's first foreign trip as president, and this is taken as evidence of Russia's influence.
This could boost the popularity of Putin's United Russia party, ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for September.
And only 27 percent of Russian voters support the party, according to a recent poll conducted by the Levada Research Center.
The White House has dismissed criticism from Republicans and commentators, who have accused Biden of rewarding Putin for bad behavior.
The US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan, summed up the matter as follows: “We do not consider the meeting with the Russian President a reward,” explaining, “We consider it a vital part of defending America’s interests and values, and President Biden does not meet with Vladimir Putin despite the differences between our two countries;
He meets him because of the differences between our two countries.”
Mark Bennetts * Political Analyst
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