Biden & Putin Plan June Meeting In Geneva

President Joe Biden will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next month. This will be the first face-to-face meeting the two world-power leaders will have since Biden came into office. Biden has expressed his intention to meet with Putin for a few months now, but U.S. and Russian officials had a difficult time finalizing a meeting that worked for both presidents.

The meeting will take place in Geneva, Switzerland on June 16, 2021 during Biden’s time abroad. Biden is scheduled to attend multiple summits – including a G-7 summit in Britain and a NATO summit in Brussels – before meeting with Putin.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki anticipates a “full range of pressing issues” to be discussed between the two leaders. Similarly, the Kremlin released a statement announcing, “The two presidents will discuss the current status of and prospects for bilateral relations, strategic stability problems, as well as current issues on the international agenda, including cooperation in countering the coronavirus pandemic and settlement of regional conflicts.” Dicier issues, like cyber security and Ukraine relations, are bound to come up during the meeting.

In light of recent events, tensions between the United States and Russia are high. The Biden administration’s approach toward Russia is very different from that of former President Donald Trump. Biden has shown willingness to work with Russian officials on various issues while not being afraid to challenge Russia – specifically, by publicly announcing the various sanctions Biden has imposed on Russia. However, Psaki noted the ultimate goal in mind is “to restore predictability and stability to the U.S.-Russia relationship” – a relationship that has been precarious for the last few decades.

Article by Ania Szantruczek