Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with US President Joe Biden at the start of their summit in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday, June 16.
Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
Updated 3:53 PM ET, Wed June 16, 2021
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with US President Joe Biden at the start of their summit in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday, June 16.
Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for high-stakes talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday.
The two men had met before, but Wednesday’s summit was their first encounter since Biden was elected President.
Afterward, both men described the summit as generally positive but without any major breakthroughs. There were a few modest outcomes, including an agreement to return each country’s ambassador to their post and assigning experts to focus on the growing problem of cyberattacks.
The long-anticipated meeting came at the end of Biden’s first international trip since taking office.
A security officer asks the media to step back at the start of the summit. There was a chaotic scrum of reporters from both countries during the photo op, and the situation got incredibly tense between the two traveling press corps, according to CNN Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins. Reporters were seen blocking cameras as the two presidents were trying to give their opening remarks to each other. Sitting with the presidents here are US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
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Biden and Putin talk before their second meeting of the day. A smaller meeting took place earlier with the two presidents spending a little less than two hours together.
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Security guards push the press out of the room during the opening remarks.
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Biden and Putin hold an extended meeting with members of their teams.
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“I think it’s always better to meet face to face, try to determine where we have mutual interest, cooperate,” Biden said in his opening remarks.
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A journalist takes a picture of a screen displayed in the press room.
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Putin thanked Biden for “the initiative to meet” as the pair sat down ahead of their first meeting. “I know you’ve been on a long journey and have a lot of work,” Putin said. “Still the US and Russia and US relations have a lot of issues accumulated that require the highest-level meeting and I hope that our meeting will be productive.”
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Biden and Putin share a laugh during the summit.
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Security personnel corral members of the press pool.
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Biden said he was seeking a “predictable and rational” relationship with Russia, and he made reference to the United States and Russia as “two great powers,” a notable elevation of Moscow’s status on the world stage.
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The window of a residential building in Geneva is decorated with an American flag.
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The summit offered Biden the chance to set the tone for relations with Putin in person following a contentious start to their relationship.
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Putin sits in front of a Russian flag as he meets with Biden.
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Putin and Biden talk before their first sit-down meeting.
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Both Biden and Putin held separate news conferences after their meetings. “There’s no substitute, as those of you have covered me for a while know, for face-to-face dialogue between leaders — none,” Biden said.
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At the end of Biden’s news conference, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins pressed the President on why he is confident Putin will change his behavior. “I’m not confident he’ll change his behavior. Where the hell — what do you do all the time? When did I say I was confident?” he asked, walking back toward reporters. He continued, “What I said was — let’s get it straight — I said, ‘What will change their behavior is if the rest of the world reacts to them and it diminishes their standing in the world.’ I’m not confident of anything. I’m just stating a fact.” Biden later apologized to Collins before boarding Air Force One. “I owe my last questioner an apology. I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy with the last answer I gave,” he said.
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Biden arrives at his news conference wearing his trademark aviator sunglasses. He gifted Putin with a pair of custom aviators, according to a White House official.
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Journalists in the nearby media center watch Putin’s news conference after the summit. Putin described his meeting with Biden as “productive” on the whole. “It was substantive, concrete and took place in an atmosphere that was aimed at achieving results,” he told reporters.
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Putin said the United States and Russia are going to begin consultations on cybersecurity. “We believe that the cyberspace is extraordinarily important. In general, and in particular for the US, and to the same extent for Russia,” he said.
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Biden speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One and departing Geneva. When asked if he seemed overly optimistic, Biden said the press said the same thing about his meetings at the G7 summit: ” ‘Oh Biden, they’re not gonna buy Biden’s stuff.’ Any of you find that? Did that happen? Any of it? A little bit? Just a little sliver of it?”
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At the start of the summit, the two Presidents stood outside the Villa la Grange with the Swiss President, who made short remarks welcoming the two leaders. Biden and Putin then shook hands and entered the 18th-century French-style manor home for their first round of meetings.
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Biden and Putin stand alongside Swiss President Guy Parmelin outside Villa la Grange.
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Biden reaches out to shake Putin’s hand.
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Parmelin speaks with Putin ahead of the summit.
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Biden’s motorcade drives toward Villa la Grange.
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Putin steps down the stairs from his airplane after arriving in Geneva.
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A Eurovision reporter stands outside Villa la Grange before the summit.
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Putin’s plane lands in Geneva.
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