An 18th-century lakeside villa steeped in the Swiss city's history has been spruced up for the&nbsp;Geneva summit between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Villa La Grange, set in Geneva's biggest park which slopes down to the shore, is well used to hosting showpiece events, but the Biden-Putin talks will rank as the most high-powered of them all.

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The mansion, spruced up for the occasion, has played a part in landmark international agreements before, notably the first Geneva Convention.

And words said on its lawns by a former world leader resonate today ahead of the US-Russia summit.

"We can establish an even deeper and more effective relationship," said pope Paul VI in 1969.

Addressing a crowd of 70,000 in front of the villa, the pontiff evoked the opposing forces of love and hate and called for "generous peacemakers".

With a specular landscape, views from the three-storey classical mansion sweep down over the Parc de La Grange, across Lake Geneva towards the United Nations and the Jura mountains beyond.&nbsp;

The villa has been a whirlwind of activity in preparation for the summit, with vehicles scurrying in and out of the park.

The paint has been touched up and the chandeliers polished, while antique furniture has been rearranged to make way for the two presidents.

The scene is set in the showpiece library: two wooden armchairs clad in red leather have been set either side of a globe, against a backdrop of brown and gold tones.

Two imposing stone lions -- freshly scrubbed down with pressure hoses -- guard the main entrance gates to the 20-hectare park.

In the immaculately-manicured gardens, new turf has been rolled out to cover any bare patches.

During the summer, the gardens would typically be filled by picnickers.

But the chances of anyone getting in and breaking out some Gruyere cheese and a bottle of local Genevois wine on Wednesday will be somewhat slim.

The park has been closed off and ringed with barbed wire-topped steel fencing, while hundreds of troops and security officers will guard the site.

The grand, classical villa was owned by Genevan patrician families and was ultimately bequeathed to the city.

On rare occasions, the public can take guided tours that take in the library, reception rooms and bedrooms.

The estate was created in the 1660s by the merchant Jacques Franconis. Marc Lullin, a banker, bought it in 1706 and three of his sons built the French-style mansion and its surrounding buildings between 1768 and 1773.

Banker Jean Lullin, having been ruined by the French Revolution, sold it in 1800 to Francois Favre, a Geneva ship owner who made his fortune trading with the East from the French port of Marseille.

The Favre family transformed the house and park, adding the large library which contains some 15,000 books belonging to Francois' son Guillaume.

The oldest volumes date back to the 15th century and the collection is especially strong in history, literature, and ancient languages.&nbsp;

The villa held a gala in 1864 for the diplomats who signed the first Geneva Convention governing the treatment of sick and wounded combatants.

Guillaume's grandson William Favre bequeathed the villa and the estate to the city in 1917, with the house to be used for civic receptions.

When he died the following year, he also left the library collection to Geneva in his will.

The park opened to the public in 1918.

A reception was held at the villa in 1921 for the first Red Cross conference after World War I. The meeting reflected on experiences from the Great War and, for the first time, mandated the organisation to assist victims in civil wars too.

The June 10, 1969 papal visit to Geneva, the epicentre of Calvinism, saw Pope Paul hold an open-air mass in the gardens, with his homily containing words that Biden and Putin could draw upon.

"Here is Switzerland offering us, once again, a moment of relaxation and reflection," the pontiff said.

Peace, he said, was "not a weakness, but a strength.

"Let us strive to be generous peacemakers," he concluded.

(With inputs from agencies)

An 18th-century lakeside villa steeped in the Swiss city's history has been spruced up for the Geneva summit between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

An 18th-century lakeside villa steeped in the Swiss city's history has been spruced up for the Geneva summit between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Villa La Grange, set in Geneva's biggest park which slopes down to the shore, is well used to hosting showpiece events, but the Biden-Putin talks will rank as the most high-powered of them all. The mansion, spruced up for the occasion, has played a part in landmark international agreements before, notably the first Geneva Convention. And words said on its lawns by a former world leader resonate today ahead of the US-Russia summit. "We can establish an even deeper and more effective relationship," said pope Paul VI in 1969. Addressing a crowd of 70,000 in front of the villa, the pontiff evoked the opposing forces of love and hate and called for "generous peacemakers". With a specular landscape, views from the three-storey classical mansion sweep down over the Parc de La Grange, across Lake Geneva towards the United Nations and the Jura mountains beyond. The villa has been a whirlwind of activity in preparation for the summit, with vehicles scurrying in and out of the park. The paint has been touched up and the chandeliers polished, while antique furniture has been rearranged to make way for the two presidents. The scene is set in the showpiece library: two wooden armchairs clad in red leather have been set either side of a globe, against a backdrop of brown and gold tones. Two imposing stone lions -- freshly scrubbed down with pressure hoses -- guard the main entrance gates to the 20-hectare park. In the immaculately-manicured gardens, new turf has been rolled out to cover any bare patches. During the summer, the gardens would typically be filled by picnickers. But the chances of anyone getting in and breaking out some Gruyere cheese and a bottle of local Genevois wine on Wednesday will be somewhat slim. The park has been closed off and ringed with barbed wire-topped steel fencing, while hundreds of troops and security officers will guard the site. The grand, classical villa was owned by Genevan patrician families and was ultimately bequeathed to the city. On rare occasions, the public can take guided tours that take in the library, reception rooms and bedrooms. The estate was created in the 1660s by the merchant Jacques Franconis. Marc Lullin, a banker, bought it in 1706 and three of his sons built the French-style mansion and its surrounding buildings between 1768 and 1773. Banker Jean Lullin, having been ruined by the French Revolution, sold it in 1800 to Francois Favre, a Geneva ship owner who made his fortune trading with the East from the French port of Marseille. The Favre family transformed the house and park, adding the large library which contains some 15,000 books belonging to Francois' son Guillaume. The oldest volumes date back to the 15th century and the collection is especially strong in history, literature, and ancient languages. The villa held a gala in 1864 for the diplomats who signed the first Geneva Convention governing the treatment of sick and wounded combatants. Guillaume's grandson William Favre bequeathed the villa and the estate to the city in 1917, with the house to be used for civic receptions. When he died the following year, he also left the library collection to Geneva in his will. The park opened to the public in 1918. A reception was held at the villa in 1921 for the first Red Cross conference after World War I. The meeting reflected on experiences from the Great War and, for the first time, mandated the organisation to assist victims in civil wars too. The June 10, 1969 papal visit to Geneva, the epicentre of Calvinism, saw Pope Paul hold an open-air mass in the gardens, with his homily containing words that Biden and Putin could draw upon. "Here is Switzerland offering us, once again, a moment of relaxation and reflection," the pontiff said. Peace, he said, was "not a weakness, but a strength. "Let us strive to be generous peacemakers," he concluded. (With inputs from agencies)

This historic 18th-century lakeside villa has been spruced up for Biden-Putin talks

President Donald Trump has rejected a Washington Post report that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/i-go-in-with-low-expectations-trump-says-for-putin-meeting-151867">he has refused to share details of his conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin</a> with top US government officials.

Trump, in a telephone interview late Saturday with Fox News, dismissed as "ridiculous" the Post story that alleged he went to great lengths to hide the content of his talks with Putin, even confiscating the notes of his interpreter and ordering that person to not discuss what was said.

Trump said he had "a great conversation" with Putin in Helsinki in July 2018.

When asked why not release details of the nearly two-hour conversation, Trump said: "I would, I don't with care.&nbsp;

"I mean, I had a conversation like every president does. You sit with the president of various countries... We were talking about Israel and securing Israel and lots of other things ... I'm not keeping anything under wraps, I couldn't care less. I mean, it's so ridiculous."

He added,&nbsp;"Anybody could have listened to that meeting, that meeting is up for grabs."

According to the Post, there is no detailed record of Trump's personal talks with Putin at five locations over the past two years.

The newspaper quotes unnamed current and former government officials as sources for the story.

Trump also told Fox when asked about Putin that "no collusion" has been found between his 2016 campaign and Russia, that he was a better candidate than Democrat Hillary Clinton, that the US economy "is the strongest in the world," and that The Washington Post is "basically the lobbyist for Amazon," as both are owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos.

A national security threat?

Trump also took aim at an earlier story in The New York Times stating that the FBI launched a previously undisclosed counterintelligence investigation to determine whether he posed a national security threat, at the same time that it opened a criminal probe into possible obstruction of justice.

The FBI investigation was later folded into the broader probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and possible collaboration by the Trump campaign.

Fox asked if he had ever worked for Russia. "I think it's the most insulting thing I've ever been asked," he said, without directly answering the question.

He slammed the Times story as "the most insulting article I've ever had written and if you read the article, you'd see that they found absolutely nothing."

No evidence has publicly emerged that Trump was secretly in contact with or took direction from Russian officials, the Times said.

The FBI had been suspicious of Trump's ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign, but it held off on opening a probe until the president sacked Comey, who refused to roll back the Russia investigation, the Times said.

Mueller has indicted 33 people in the probe and convicted some of the president's close associates.

Trump's ex-national security advisor, Michael Flynn, has pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about his Moscow ties.

Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, has been sentenced to three years in prison for multiple crimes, including felony violations of campaign finance laws that prosecutors allege were carried out under Trump's direction.

And Trump's former presidential campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has been convicted in one case brought by Mueller and pleaded guilty in another, over financial crimes related to his work in Ukraine before the 2016 campaign, and for witness tampering.

President Donald Trump has rejected a Washington Post report that he has refused to share details of his conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin with top US government officials.

President Donald Trump has rejected a Washington Post report that he has refused to share details of his conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin with top US government officials. Trump, in a telephone interview late Saturday with Fox News, dismissed as "ridiculous" the Post story that alleged he went to great lengths to hide the content of his talks with Putin, even confiscating the notes of his interpreter and ordering that person to not discuss what was said. Trump said he had "a great conversation" with Putin in Helsinki in July 2018. When asked why not release details of the nearly two-hour conversation, Trump said: "I would, I don't with care. "I mean, I had a conversation like every president does. You sit with the president of various countries... We were talking about Israel and securing Israel and lots of other things ... I'm not keeping anything under wraps, I couldn't care less. I mean, it's so ridiculous." He added, "Anybody could have listened to that meeting, that meeting is up for grabs." According to the Post, there is no detailed record of Trump's personal talks with Putin at five locations over the past two years. The newspaper quotes unnamed current and former government officials as sources for the story. Trump also told Fox when asked about Putin that "no collusion" has been found between his 2016 campaign and Russia, that he was a better candidate than Democrat Hillary Clinton, that the US economy "is the strongest in the world," and that The Washington Post is "basically the lobbyist for Amazon," as both are owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos. A national security threat? Trump also took aim at an earlier story in The New York Times stating that the FBI launched a previously undisclosed counterintelligence investigation to determine whether he posed a national security threat, at the same time that it opened a criminal probe into possible obstruction of justice. The FBI investigation was later folded into the broader probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and possible collaboration by the Trump campaign. Fox asked if he had ever worked for Russia. "I think it's the most insulting thing I've ever been asked," he said, without directly answering the question. He slammed the Times story as "the most insulting article I've ever had written and if you read the article, you'd see that they found absolutely nothing." No evidence has publicly emerged that Trump was secretly in contact with or took direction from Russian officials, the Times said. The FBI had been suspicious of Trump's ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign, but it held off on opening a probe until the president sacked Comey, who refused to roll back the Russia investigation, the Times said. Mueller has indicted 33 people in the probe and convicted some of the president's close associates. Trump's ex-national security advisor, Michael Flynn, has pleaded guilty to lying to investigators about his Moscow ties. Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, has been sentenced to three years in prison for multiple crimes, including felony violations of campaign finance laws that prosecutors allege were carried out under Trump's direction. And Trump's former presidential campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has been convicted in one case brought by Mueller and pleaded guilty in another, over financial crimes related to his work in Ukraine before the 2016 campaign, and for witness tampering.

Trump says he did not hide details of his meetings with Putin

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This historic 18th-century lakeside villa has been spruced up for Biden-Putin talks

Trump says he did not hide details of his meetings with Putin