Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to work together as they extended a 20-year-old bilateral agreement on friendship and cooperation to forge closer ties.

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin extend 20-year-old friendship treaty

Baltic states have rejected a proposal by France and Germany to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Is Europe breaking ranks with the U.S and charting its own policy on Russia? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Merkel & Macron seek summit with Putin

European Union leaders rejected a proposal by France and Germany to restart talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Poland which opposed the talks said such a move will send a 'wrong message'.

EU leaders rejects France & Germany's proposal for talks with Putin

Germany and France are pushing EU counterparts to consider a summit with Russian leader Vladimir&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;as the bloc weighs its strategy to keep Moscow in check, diplomats said Wednesday.

The EU's 27 leaders are set to discuss ties with its vast eastern neighbour at a meeting on Thursday as Brussels admits that relations with the Kremlin have reached their "lowest level".&nbsp;

Berlin and Paris put forward a last-minute proposal for the bloc to contemplate a potential summit in the wake of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">US President Joe Biden's</a> sit-down with&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;in Geneva last week.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-putin-summit-takeaways-respect-optimism-and-some-scepticism-392063">Biden-Putin summit takeaways: Respect, optimism, and some scepticism</a>

But there remains opposition from numerous EU members states, especially in eastern Europe -- wary of talking to the Kremlin.&nbsp;

EU ambassadors were set to hold a meeting late Wednesday evening to try to thrash out a common position.&nbsp;

"The EU must stand firm and establish a counterbalance against Russia. It must also put itself in a position to resist, in particular, cyberattacks. And it must be able to engage in dialogue with Russia on the subjects for which it has interests," one European diplomat argued.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-you-want-peace-prepare-for-war-russia-ready-to-cut-ties-with-eu-over-sanctions-asserts-lavrov-363130">'If you want peace, prepare for war': Russia ready to cut ties with EU over sanctions, asserts Lavrov</a>

"But there is a question over the format for this dialogue. How to conduct this dialogue? At what level? Through what channel? And what role should be given to the EU institutions."

Another diplomat insisted that it was "premature" to talk about a meeting with the Russian leader.&nbsp;

"Why have a summit with&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;if there is nothing positive to discuss," the diplomat said.&nbsp;

Ties between the EU and Russia have been in the doldrums since the Kremlin annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

The bloc has slapped waves of sanctions on Moscow, and Russia has responded with its own counter-measures.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-warns-will-retaliate-if-eu-imposes-new-sanctions-over-navalny-362989">Russia warns will retaliate if EU imposes new sanctions over Navalny</a>

The last summit between EU chiefs in Brussels and&nbsp;Putin&nbsp;took place in early 2014, with the Kremlin strongman preferring to deal bilaterally with individual nations since then.&nbsp;

While the German-French proposal mooted engagement with Moscow, it also made clear the bloc needed to remain united in the face of Russian aggression.&nbsp;

Proposed summit conclusions seen by AFP said there needs "a firm and coordinated response by the EU and the Member States to Russia's malign activities, making full use of all instruments at the EU's disposal, and ensuring coordination with other partners."

The draft statement said that leaders would task EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell "to present options for additional adequate and effective economic sanctions against responsible parties in reaction to destabilising actions by Russia".

Germany and France are pushing EU counterparts to consider a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the bloc weighs its strategy to keep Moscow in check, diplomats said Wednesday.

Germany and France are pushing EU counterparts to consider a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin as the bloc weighs its strategy to keep Moscow in check, diplomats said Wednesday. The EU's 27 leaders are set to discuss ties with its vast eastern neighbour at a meeting on Thursday as Brussels admits that relations with the Kremlin have reached their "lowest level". Berlin and Paris put forward a last-minute proposal for the bloc to contemplate a potential summit in the wake of US President Joe Biden's sit-down with Putin in Geneva last week. Also read | Biden-Putin summit takeaways: Respect, optimism, and some scepticism But there remains opposition from numerous EU members states, especially in eastern Europe -- wary of talking to the Kremlin. EU ambassadors were set to hold a meeting late Wednesday evening to try to thrash out a common position. "The EU must stand firm and establish a counterbalance against Russia. It must also put itself in a position to resist, in particular, cyberattacks. And it must be able to engage in dialogue with Russia on the subjects for which it has interests," one European diplomat argued. Also read | 'If you want peace, prepare for war': Russia ready to cut ties with EU over sanctions, asserts Lavrov "But there is a question over the format for this dialogue. How to conduct this dialogue? At what level? Through what channel? And what role should be given to the EU institutions." Another diplomat insisted that it was "premature" to talk about a meeting with the Russian leader. "Why have a summit with Putin if there is nothing positive to discuss," the diplomat said. Ties between the EU and Russia have been in the doldrums since the Kremlin annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. The bloc has slapped waves of sanctions on Moscow, and Russia has responded with its own counter-measures. Also read | Russia warns will retaliate if EU imposes new sanctions over Navalny The last summit between EU chiefs in Brussels and Putin took place in early 2014, with the Kremlin strongman preferring to deal bilaterally with individual nations since then. While the German-French proposal mooted engagement with Moscow, it also made clear the bloc needed to remain united in the face of Russian aggression. Proposed summit conclusions seen by AFP said there needs "a firm and coordinated response by the EU and the Member States to Russia's malign activities, making full use of all instruments at the EU's disposal, and ensuring coordination with other partners." The draft statement said that leaders would task EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell "to present options for additional adequate and effective economic sanctions against responsible parties in reaction to destabilising actions by Russia".

Germany, France propose EU-Russia summit: Diplomats

US envoy in Moscow returned to Russia on Thursday and said that he was ready to work on "stable and predictable relationship" after a summit between US and Russia aimed at reducing tensions.&nbsp;

"Arrived back in Moscow today," Ambassador John Sullivan said in a statement, several days after Russia's envoy to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, resumed his own posting, saying he hoped to build "equal and pragmatic ties".&nbsp;

Sullivan said he was ready to work with Russia "on our goal of a stable and predictable relationship between our countries."

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week said that both, Russia and the US had agreed for the respective ambassadors to return to their posts. Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden and Putin held summit talks in Geneva.

In March, Russia had recalled Antonov and recommended the United States bring back Sullivan for consultations after Biden agreed with a description of Putin as a "killer".

Sullivan departed Moscow for Washington the next month, as the US and Russia announced a series of tit-for-tat sanctions and expulsions of diplomats.

Diplomatic relations between Moscow and Washington had all but broken down after Biden took office and accused the Kremlin of interfering in US elections and launching cyberattacks.

In May, Russia formally designated the United States an "unfriendly" state, barring its embassy from employing Russian nationals. The only other country on that list is the Czech Republic.

(With agency inputs)

US envoy in Moscow returned to Russia on Thursday and said that he was ready to work on "stable and predictable relationship" after a summit between US and Russia aimed at reducing tensions.

US envoy in Moscow returned to Russia on Thursday and said that he was ready to work on "stable and predictable relationship" after a summit between US and Russia aimed at reducing tensions. "Arrived back in Moscow today," Ambassador John Sullivan said in a statement, several days after Russia's envoy to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, resumed his own posting, saying he hoped to build "equal and pragmatic ties". Sullivan said he was ready to work with Russia "on our goal of a stable and predictable relationship between our countries." Russian President Vladimir Putin last week said that both, Russia and the US had agreed for the respective ambassadors to return to their posts. Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden and Putin held summit talks in Geneva. In March, Russia had recalled Antonov and recommended the United States bring back Sullivan for consultations after Biden agreed with a description of Putin as a "killer". Sullivan departed Moscow for Washington the next month, as the US and Russia announced a series of tit-for-tat sanctions and expulsions of diplomats. Diplomatic relations between Moscow and Washington had all but broken down after Biden took office and accused the Kremlin of interfering in US elections and launching cyberattacks. In May, Russia formally designated the United States an "unfriendly" state, barring its embassy from employing Russian nationals. The only other country on that list is the Czech Republic. (With agency inputs)

US envoy to Russia returns to Moscow

Vladimir Putin visited Moscow's 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' on the 80th anniversary of the German invasion. How does Putin see the Soviet resistance? Is he planning to revive Russia's glory days? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Putin marks 80 years of German invasion

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday proposed spendings of billions of rubles ahead of parliamentary polls due in September. Putin made the announcement at his United Russia party congress. The parliamentary polls are likely to see the deeply unpopular party struggle.

The party congress took place in a Moscow convention centre. The Russian capital is seeing high number of new Covid cases.

The spending for public support Putin proposed included 50 billion rubles ($687 million) on public transport, 30 billion rubles for repairing roads and 20 billion rubles to clean up rivers, among other spending projects on infrastructure and healthcare.

"The program of the party of the leader has to be the program of the people," the 68-year-old Kremlin chief said in a speech broadcast on state television.

He also said the state would be allocating payments and new forms of support for families starting next month.&nbsp;

"Our task is to significantly increase the prosperity of Russian families and the incomes of our citizens," Putin said.

The gathering, which determines the ruling party's candidates and electoral platform for September's lower house of parliament vote, comes after the party has seen support tumble in recent years amid economic stagnation, entrenched corruption and widespread voter fatigue.

On Friday, state-run pollster VTsIOM published a survey showing that 30 percent of voters support United Russia -- a 10-point drop from the last lower house State Duma elections in 2016.

Navalny neutralised

But the party, which controls a majority of the State Duma, is projecting calm.

"It is a good base of support that can be further increased during the election campaign," party chairman and former president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev said at the start of the month.

Putin, who came to power in 2000, himself boasts much higher support than his party with an approval rating of 61.5 percent, according to VTsIOM.

The pollster also predicts that three opposition parties that are seen as doing the Kremlin's bidding -- the nationalist LDPR, the Communists and A Just Russia -- will garner around 30 percent of the vote.

Further buoying the Kremlin's prospects in September is the recent dismantling of the movement of Russia's main opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Barring his organisations from working in the country, a Moscow court earlier this month branded them as "extremist", while Putin signed legislation outlawing staff, members and sponsors of "extremist" groups from running in parliamentary elections.

Critics say the moves were aimed at ensuring that Navalny, who was jailed earlier this year for two-and-a-half years on old fraud charges he says are politically motivated, does not spoil September's vote for the Kremlin.

Despite the clampdown, Navalny's allies are promoting his Smart Voting strategy that backs candidates best placed to defeat Kremlin-linked politicians -- a tactic that has seen United Russia lose a number of seats in recent local elections.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday proposed spendings of billions of rubles ahead of parliamentary polls due in September. Putin made the announcement at his United Russia party congress.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday proposed spendings of billions of rubles ahead of parliamentary polls due in September. Putin made the announcement at his United Russia party congress. The parliamentary polls are likely to see the deeply unpopular party struggle. The party congress took place in a Moscow convention centre. The Russian capital is seeing high number of new Covid cases. The spending for public support Putin proposed included 50 billion rubles ($687 million) on public transport, 30 billion rubles for repairing roads and 20 billion rubles to clean up rivers, among other spending projects on infrastructure and healthcare. "The program of the party of the leader has to be the program of the people," the 68-year-old Kremlin chief said in a speech broadcast on state television. He also said the state would be allocating payments and new forms of support for families starting next month. "Our task is to significantly increase the prosperity of Russian families and the incomes of our citizens," Putin said. The gathering, which determines the ruling party's candidates and electoral platform for September's lower house of parliament vote, comes after the party has seen support tumble in recent years amid economic stagnation, entrenched corruption and widespread voter fatigue. On Friday, state-run pollster VTsIOM published a survey showing that 30 percent of voters support United Russia -- a 10-point drop from the last lower house State Duma elections in 2016. Navalny neutralised But the party, which controls a majority of the State Duma, is projecting calm. "It is a good base of support that can be further increased during the election campaign," party chairman and former president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev said at the start of the month. Putin, who came to power in 2000, himself boasts much higher support than his party with an approval rating of 61.5 percent, according to VTsIOM. The pollster also predicts that three opposition parties that are seen as doing the Kremlin's bidding -- the nationalist LDPR, the Communists and A Just Russia -- will garner around 30 percent of the vote. Further buoying the Kremlin's prospects in September is the recent dismantling of the movement of Russia's main opposition politician Alexei Navalny. Barring his organisations from working in the country, a Moscow court earlier this month branded them as "extremist", while Putin signed legislation outlawing staff, members and sponsors of "extremist" groups from running in parliamentary elections. Critics say the moves were aimed at ensuring that Navalny, who was jailed earlier this year for two-and-a-half years on old fraud charges he says are politically motivated, does not spoil September's vote for the Kremlin. Despite the clampdown, Navalny's allies are promoting his Smart Voting strategy that backs candidates best placed to defeat Kremlin-linked politicians -- a tactic that has seen United Russia lose a number of seats in recent local elections. (With inputs from agencies)

Putin promises billions in public spending ahead of polls

Russian President Vladimir Putin has hailed the Geneva summit and said that Biden is a professional and one needs to be very careful while working with him. He also added that his country is ready to continue more dialogues if his American counterpart agrees.

Putin  hails the Geneva summit as 'positive', says ready for more dialogue with US

While Biden and Putin may have achieved a thaw, the Russian and American press are still at daggers drawn. The media scuffled in front of the Presidents in Geneva; they turned the press conference into a harangue. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas | Geneva: American and Russian media at daggers drawn

A friendship starts with a meaningful gift. The US President Joe Biden appears to have&nbsp;taken the adage seriously. He had gifted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a pair of American-made sunglasses in his favourite aviator style.

The aviators have been a symbol in the US Army for ages and the company, Randolph Engineering, has had a contract with the US armed forces since 1978 for supplying nearly 25,000 pairs of the sunglasses to the army every month.

Have a look |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/highlights-stone-face-rare-eye-contact-biden-and-putins-historic-summit-391948">Highlights: 'Stone face, rare eye contact'- Biden and Putin's historic summit</a>

Biden gave the aviators as a diplomatic gift to Putin during their historic summit which took place on June 16 in Geneva, Switzerland — a few months after Biden labelled Putin as a 'killer'.

Peter Waszkiewicz, the owner the company, saw the sunglasses produced by his company being offered as a diplomatic token at the historic summit.

"It was a normal business day until about after 12:00, when the phones started ringing and the social media went abuzz,&nbsp;then we realised what was going on," he said. "It's pretty amazing, isn't it?&nbsp;I mean how often does an opportunity like this happen?"

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-highlights-of-the-geneva-summit-392269">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-highlights-of-the-geneva-summit-392269/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

These aviator-styled sunglasses were made famous by the US Army and Tom Cruise, who wore it in a famous 1980s movie, Top Gun.

The "Concorde" sunglasses take nearly 200 steps and six weeks to be created to perfection and the company revealed that the ones gifted to Putin are named after the 20th-century supersonic aircraft and cost nearly $279.

"President Biden, I'm sure, gave those glasses to President Putin as a symbol of our national heritage," Waszkiewicz said.&nbsp;"And let's hope it's the symbol of peace."

A friendship starts with a meaningful gift. The US President Joe Biden appears to have taken the adage seriously. He had gifted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a pair of American-made sunglasses in his favourite aviator style.

A friendship starts with a meaningful gift. The US President Joe Biden appears to have taken the adage seriously. He had gifted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a pair of American-made sunglasses in his favourite aviator style. The aviators have been a symbol in the US Army for ages and the company, Randolph Engineering, has had a contract with the US armed forces since 1978 for supplying nearly 25,000 pairs of the sunglasses to the army every month. Have a look | Highlights: 'Stone face, rare eye contact'- Biden and Putin's historic summit Biden gave the aviators as a diplomatic gift to Putin during their historic summit which took place on June 16 in Geneva, Switzerland — a few months after Biden labelled Putin as a 'killer'. Peter Waszkiewicz, the owner the company, saw the sunglasses produced by his company being offered as a diplomatic token at the historic summit. "It was a normal business day until about after 12:00, when the phones started ringing and the social media went abuzz, then we realised what was going on," he said. "It's pretty amazing, isn't it? I mean how often does an opportunity like this happen?" WATCH | These aviator-styled sunglasses were made famous by the US Army and Tom Cruise, who wore it in a famous 1980s movie, Top Gun. The "Concorde" sunglasses take nearly 200 steps and six weeks to be created to perfection and the company revealed that the ones gifted to Putin are named after the 20th-century supersonic aircraft and cost nearly $279. "President Biden, I'm sure, gave those glasses to President Putin as a symbol of our national heritage," Waszkiewicz said. "And let's hope it's the symbol of peace."

Diplomatic token: Biden gifted aviator-style sunglasses to Putin during historic summit

For a while, it wasn’t clear that this week’s meeting in Geneva between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Biden would go ahead.

Mr. Biden, seeking his first encounter as president with Mr. Putin, made the invitation in mid-April; but it took until the end of May for the summit to be confirmed. Despite Mr. Putin’s experience with American presidents — he’s dealt with four, across two decades — the Kremlin, Russian officials said, was considering the risk that Mr. Biden would use the meeting to publicly lecture his Russian counterpart on democracy and human rights.

The caution seemed reasonable. After all, the new American administration, especially by comparison with its predecessor, devotes considerable attention to promoting human rights across the globe. And Mr. Biden set out his stall when he agreed in an interview in March that Mr. Putin is a “killer.”

Yet the Kremlin eventually accepted the invitation. Why? Besides the chance to de-escalate tensions, there’s one very good reason: Mr. Putin has nothing to fear from Mr. Biden. Enduringly popular and freshly buoyed by the quashing of the opposition, Russia’s president has ample cause to feel secure. Whatever the American president might say in Geneva — or his administration do, by way of sanctions — will not affect Mr. Putin’s rule in Russia.

The first impediment for Mr. Biden is straightforward: His message will not get a good airing. Television, dominated by channels run or controlled by the state, remains the main source of news for three-quarters of Russians, so most people in Russia will see the American president through the Kremlin’s eyes. Independent media, recently curtailed by the authorities declaring several prominent outlets to be “foreign agents,” won’t be able to redress the imbalance.

Yet even without this media filter, Mr. Putin has no reason to fear any aspersions Mr. Biden might cast his way. Though the president’s popularity has waned a touch since its peak in 2014, he retains the trust and approval of over 60 percent of Russians, according to Levada Center, an independent and highly respected polling organization. This might be more inertia and apathy than a conscious political affiliation, but the result is the same. The opposition can only dream about such ratings: Support for the most prominent opposition leader, Aleksei Navalny, doesn’t rise above 20 percent.

The blame for that can’t be placed squarely on the Kremlin. Though the opposition is hampered by a range of state restrictions, the fact remains that opposition rallies do not attract significant numbers of participants. The last big protest in support of Mr. Navalny — one of the largest displays of dissent in the past decade — brought between 51,000 and 120,000 people to 109 cities across the country on April 21, according to opposition outlets. But even if you take the higher number, that amounts to less than 0.1 percent of the country’s population. Protesting is a minority interest.

And that’s not just because Russian authorities have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to brutally suppress gatherings. Many people unhappy with life in Russia stay away from protests because they don’t associate themselves with the organizers and don’t believe they can bring about change from the street. In a recent survey by the Levada Center, only 21 percent of respondents said they would consider going to a rally in support of economic demands, and even fewer, 16 percent, said they’d go in support of political demands. There are demographic divides — young people are generally more eager to protest — but that doesn’t really change the picture.

What’s more, those ready to actively challenge Mr. Putin’s rule have been repressed. Mr. Navalny, who returned to the country in January in the hope of setting off a substantive movement to oppose Mr. Putin, was imprisoned with a two-and-a-half-year sentence. Many of his allies were jailed, while others fled the country. And last week, his organization, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, whose activities were already suspended, was officially labeled “extremist” — effectively preventing its activists from running in future elections and further intimidating supporters.

It’s not just Mr. Navalny. Another opposition network — Open Russia, founded by a former oil tycoon and now exiled Kremlin critic, Mikhail Khodorkovsky — recently announced its closure, hoping to protect its coordinators. That didn’t stop the arrest on May 31 of one of the group’s executives, Andrey Pivovarov, who now faces up to six years in prison. Fearing the same fate, another prominent opposition figure, Dmitry Gudkov, fled to Ukraine in early June.

Ahead of September’s legislative elections, the authorities have disbanded the opposition and docked the media, closing down the space for dissent. But a majority of Russians, consumed by the concerns of everyday life and long inured to Mr. Putin’s rule, don’t seem to care much. With them, Mr. Biden’s message about the inviolability of human rights and the sanctity of democracy — both of which are slipping away in Russia, to no general uproar — is likely to ring hollow.

Even among Russians who actively support democracy, the rule of law and human rights, Mr. Biden won’t find much support. Over the past decades, many Russian liberals have become disillusioned with the West, especially the United States. For some, America’s image started to crack with the bombing of Yugoslavia and the war in Iraq. For others, it was the revelations of WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden, which brought to light a host of America’s covert operations and dirty dealings, that soured feelings of admiration.

And for many, the presidency of Donald Trump — during which Washington abandoned international agreements, treated allies as clients, badly mismanaged the pandemic and, most important, exacerbated political polarization and social dysfunction — definitively stripped America of its authority. With this legacy, no American president would have a substantial audience in Russia.

Secure internally and with little to lose, Vladimir Putin is ready for President Biden. As for his image in the United States and the rest of the West, it’s fair to assume — after years as their arch-villain and evil mastermind — that Mr. Putin couldn’t care less.

For a while, it wasn’t clear that this week’s meeting in Geneva between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Biden would go ahead. Mr. Biden, seeking his first encounter as president with Mr.

For a while, it wasn’t clear that this week’s meeting in Geneva between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Biden would go ahead. Mr. Biden, seeking his first encounter as president with Mr. Putin, made the invitation in mid-April; but it took until the end of May for the summit to be confirmed. Despite Mr. Putin’s experience with American presidents — he’s dealt with four, across two decades — the Kremlin, Russian officials said, was considering the risk that Mr. Biden would use the meeting to publicly lecture his Russian counterpart on democracy and human rights. The caution seemed reasonable. After all, the new American administration, especially by comparison with its predecessor, devotes considerable attention to promoting human rights across the globe. And Mr. Biden set out his stall when he agreed in an interview in March that Mr. Putin is a “killer.” Yet the Kremlin eventually accepted the invitation. Why? Besides the chance to de-escalate tensions, there’s one very good reason: Mr. Putin has nothing to fear from Mr. Biden. Enduringly popular and freshly buoyed by the quashing of the opposition, Russia’s president has ample cause to feel secure. Whatever the American president might say in Geneva — or his administration do, by way of sanctions — will not affect Mr. Putin’s rule in Russia. The first impediment for Mr. Biden is straightforward: His message will not get a good airing. Television, dominated by channels run or controlled by the state, remains the main source of news for three-quarters of Russians, so most people in Russia will see the American president through the Kremlin’s eyes. Independent media, recently curtailed by the authorities declaring several prominent outlets to be “foreign agents,” won’t be able to redress the imbalance. Yet even without this media filter, Mr. Putin has no reason to fear any aspersions Mr. Biden might cast his way. Though the president’s popularity has waned a touch since its peak in 2014, he retains the trust and approval of over 60 percent of Russians, according to Levada Center, an independent and highly respected polling organization. This might be more inertia and apathy than a conscious political affiliation, but the result is the same. The opposition can only dream about such ratings: Support for the most prominent opposition leader, Aleksei Navalny, doesn’t rise above 20 percent. The blame for that can’t be placed squarely on the Kremlin. Though the opposition is hampered by a range of state restrictions, the fact remains that opposition rallies do not attract significant numbers of participants. The last big protest in support of Mr. Navalny — one of the largest displays of dissent in the past decade — brought between 51,000 and 120,000 people to 109 cities across the country on April 21, according to opposition outlets. But even if you take the higher number, that amounts to less than 0.1 percent of the country’s population. Protesting is a minority interest. And that’s not just because Russian authorities have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to brutally suppress gatherings. Many people unhappy with life in Russia stay away from protests because they don’t associate themselves with the organizers and don’t believe they can bring about change from the street. In a recent survey by the Levada Center, only 21 percent of respondents said they would consider going to a rally in support of economic demands, and even fewer, 16 percent, said they’d go in support of political demands. There are demographic divides — young people are generally more eager to protest — but that doesn’t really change the picture. What’s more, those ready to actively challenge Mr. Putin’s rule have been repressed. Mr. Navalny, who returned to the country in January in the hope of setting off a substantive movement to oppose Mr. Putin, was imprisoned with a two-and-a-half-year sentence. Many of his allies were jailed, while others fled the country. And last week, his organization, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, whose activities were already suspended, was officially labeled “extremist” — effectively preventing its activists from running in future elections and further intimidating supporters. It’s not just Mr. Navalny. Another opposition network — Open Russia, founded by a former oil tycoon and now exiled Kremlin critic, Mikhail Khodorkovsky — recently announced its closure, hoping to protect its coordinators. That didn’t stop the arrest on May 31 of one of the group’s executives, Andrey Pivovarov, who now faces up to six years in prison. Fearing the same fate, another prominent opposition figure, Dmitry Gudkov, fled to Ukraine in early June. Ahead of September’s legislative elections, the authorities have disbanded the opposition and docked the media, closing down the space for dissent. But a majority of Russians, consumed by the concerns of everyday life and long inured to Mr. Putin’s rule, don’t seem to care much. With them, Mr. Biden’s message about the inviolability of human rights and the sanctity of democracy — both of which are slipping away in Russia, to no general uproar — is likely to ring hollow. Even among Russians who actively support democracy, the rule of law and human rights, Mr. Biden won’t find much support. Over the past decades, many Russian liberals have become disillusioned with the West, especially the United States. For some, America’s image started to crack with the bombing of Yugoslavia and the war in Iraq. For others, it was the revelations of WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden, which brought to light a host of America’s covert operations and dirty dealings, that soured feelings of admiration. And for many, the presidency of Donald Trump — during which Washington abandoned international agreements, treated allies as clients, badly mismanaged the pandemic and, most important, exacerbated political polarization and social dysfunction — definitively stripped America of its authority. With this legacy, no American president would have a substantial audience in Russia. Secure internally and with little to lose, Vladimir Putin is ready for President Biden. As for his image in the United States and the rest of the West, it’s fair to assume — after years as their arch-villain and evil mastermind — that Mr. Putin couldn’t care less.

Sorry, Biden. Putin honestly could not care less

This week saw US President Joe Biden engaging with world leaders on a wide range of issues. He also sat with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for a historic summit that was closely watched across the world.

Biden and Putin hold first in-person meeting in Geneva

There was no breakthrough in the Geneva Summit between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The differences outweighed the gains. But what did the leaders' body language give away? Palki Sharma has the details.

Gravitas: Highlights of the Geneva Summit of US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin

For a while, it wasn’t clear that this week’s meeting in Geneva between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Biden would go ahead.

Mr. Biden, seeking his first encounter as president with Mr. Putin, made the invitation in&nbsp;mid-April; but it took until the&nbsp;end of May&nbsp;for the summit to be confirmed. Despite Mr. Putin’s experience with American presidents, he’s dealt with four, across two decades, the Kremlin, Russian officials said, was considering the risk that Mr. Biden would use the meeting to publicly lecture his Russian counterpart on democracy and human rights.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-blog-will-not-tolerate-violence-of-democratic-sovereignty-biden-tells-putin-391919">Live blog: Will not tolerate violence of democratic sovereignty, Biden tells Putin</a>

The caution seemed reasonable. After all, the new American administration, especially by comparison with its predecessor, devotes considerable attention to promoting human rights across the globe. And Mr. Biden set out his stall when he agreed in an interview in March that Mr. Putin is a “killer.”

Yet the Kremlin eventually accepted the invitation. Why? Besides the chance to de-escalate tensions, there’s one very good reason: Mr. Putin has nothing to fear from Mr. Biden. Enduringly popular and freshly buoyed by the quashing of the opposition, Russia’s president has ample cause to feel secure. Whatever the American president might say in Geneva — or his administration do, by way of sanctions — will not affect Mr. Putin’s rule in Russia.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-joint-press-conference-after-biden-putin-meet-says-white-house-391043">No joint press conference after Biden-Putin meet, says White House</a>

The first impediment for Mr. Biden is straightforward: His message will not get a good airing. Television, dominated by channels run or controlled by the state, remains the main source of news for&nbsp;three-quarters of Russians, so most people in Russia will see the American president through the Kremlin’s eyes. Independent media, recently curtailed by the authorities declaring several prominent outlets to be “foreign agents,” won’t be able to redress the imbalance.

Yet even without this media filter, Mr. Putin has no reason to fear any aspersions Mr. Biden might cast his way. Though the president’s popularity has waned a touch since its peak in 2014, he retains the trust and approval of over 60 per cent of Russians, according to&nbsp;Levada Center, an independent and highly respected polling organization. This might be more inertia and apathy than a conscious political affiliation, but the result is the same. The opposition can only dream about such ratings: Support for the most prominent opposition leader, Aleksei Navalny, doesn’t rise above&nbsp;20 per cent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/excessive-expectations-over-biden-putin-summit-kremlin-387559">Excessive expectations over Biden-Putin summit: Kremlin</a>

The blame for that can’t be placed squarely on the Kremlin. Though the opposition is hampered by a range of state restrictions, the fact remains that opposition rallies do not attract significant numbers of participants. The last big protest in support of Mr. Navalny — one of the largest&nbsp;displays of dissent&nbsp;in the past decade, brought between&nbsp;51,000 and 120,000&nbsp;people to 109 cities across the country on April 21, according to opposition outlets. But even if you take the higher number, that amounts to less than 0.1 per cent of the country’s population. Protesting is a minority interest.

And that’s not just because Russian authorities have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness&nbsp;to brutally suppress gatherings. Many people unhappy with life in Russia stay away from protests because they don’t associate themselves with the organizers and don’t believe they can bring about change from the street. In a&nbsp;recent survey&nbsp;by the Levada Center, only 21 per cent of respondents said they would consider going to a rally in support of economic demands, and even fewer, 16 per cent, said they’d go in support of political demands. There are demographic divides, young people are generally more eager to protest, but that doesn’t really change the picture.

What’s more, those ready to actively challenge Mr. Putin’s rule have been repressed. Mr. Navalny, who returned to the country in January in the hope of setting off a substantive movement to oppose Mr. Putin,&nbsp;was imprisoned&nbsp;with a two-and-a-half-year sentence. Many of his allies were jailed, while others fled the country. And last week, his organization, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, whose activities were already suspended, was officially&nbsp;labeled “extremist”&nbsp;— effectively preventing its activists from running in future elections and further intimidating supporters.

It’s not just Mr. Navalny. Another opposition network;&nbsp;Open Russia, founded by a former oil tycoon and now exiled Kremlin critic, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, recently&nbsp;announced its closure, hoping to protect its coordinators. That didn’t stop the arrest on May 31 of one of the group’s executives,&nbsp;Andrey Pivovarov, who now faces up to&nbsp;six years in prison. Fearing the same fate, another prominent opposition figure,&nbsp;Dmitry Gudkov, fled to Ukraine in early June.

Ahead of September’s legislative elections, the authorities have disbanded the opposition and docked the media, closing down the space for dissent. But a majority of Russians, consumed by the concerns of everyday life and long inured to Mr. Putin’s rule, don’t seem to care much. With them, Mr. Biden’s message about the inviolability of human rights and the sanctity of democracy, both of which are slipping away in Russia, to no general uproar, is likely to ring hollow.

Even among Russians who actively support democracy, the rule of law and human rights, Mr. Biden won’t find much support. Over the past decades, many Russian liberals have become&nbsp;disillusioned with the West, especially the United States. For some, America’s image started to crack with the bombing of Yugoslavia and the war in Iraq. For others, it was the revelations of WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden, which brought to light a host of America’s covert operations and dirty dealings, that soured feelings of admiration.

And for many, the presidency of Donald Trump, during which Washington abandoned international agreements, treated allies as clients, badly mismanaged the pandemic and, most important, exacerbated political polarisation and social dysfunction, definitively&nbsp;stripped America of its authority. With this legacy, no American president would have a substantial audience in Russia.

Secure internally and with little to lose, Vladimir Putin is ready for President Biden. As for his image in the United States and the rest of the West, it’s fair to assume, after years as their arch-villain and evil mastermind, that Mr. Putin couldn’t care less.

For a while, it wasn’t clear that this week’s meeting in Geneva between President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Biden would go ahead. Mr. Biden, seeking his first encounter as president with Mr. Putin, made the invitation in mid-April; but it took until the end of May for the summit to be confirmed. Despite Mr. Putin’s experience with American presidents, he’s dealt with four, across two decades, the Kremlin, Russian officials said, was considering the risk that Mr. Biden would use the meeting to publicly lecture his Russian counterpart on democracy and human rights. Also read | Live blog: Will not tolerate violence of democratic sovereignty, Biden tells Putin The caution seemed reasonable. After all, the new American administration, especially by comparison with its predecessor, devotes considerable attention to promoting human rights across the globe. And Mr. Biden set out his stall when he agreed in an interview in March that Mr. Putin is a “killer.” Yet the Kremlin eventually accepted the invitation. Why? Besides the chance to de-escalate tensions, there’s one very good reason: Mr. Putin has nothing to fear from Mr. Biden. Enduringly popular and freshly buoyed by the quashing of the opposition, Russia’s president has ample cause to feel secure. Whatever the American president might say in Geneva — or his administration do, by way of sanctions — will not affect Mr. Putin’s rule in Russia. Also read | No joint press conference after Biden-Putin meet, says White House The first impediment for Mr. Biden is straightforward: His message will not get a good airing. Television, dominated by channels run or controlled by the state, remains the main source of news for three-quarters of Russians, so most people in Russia will see the American president through the Kremlin’s eyes. Independent media, recently curtailed by the authorities declaring several prominent outlets to be “foreign agents,” won’t be able to redress the imbalance. Yet even without this media filter, Mr. Putin has no reason to fear any aspersions Mr. Biden might cast his way. Though the president’s popularity has waned a touch since its peak in 2014, he retains the trust and approval of over 60 per cent of Russians, according to Levada Center, an independent and highly respected polling organization. This might be more inertia and apathy than a conscious political affiliation, but the result is the same. The opposition can only dream about such ratings: Support for the most prominent opposition leader, Aleksei Navalny, doesn’t rise above 20 per cent. Also read | Excessive expectations over Biden-Putin summit: Kremlin The blame for that can’t be placed squarely on the Kremlin. Though the opposition is hampered by a range of state restrictions, the fact remains that opposition rallies do not attract significant numbers of participants. The last big protest in support of Mr. Navalny — one of the largest displays of dissent in the past decade, brought between 51,000 and 120,000 people to 109 cities across the country on April 21, according to opposition outlets. But even if you take the higher number, that amounts to less than 0.1 per cent of the country’s population. Protesting is a minority interest. And that’s not just because Russian authorities have repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to brutally suppress gatherings. Many people unhappy with life in Russia stay away from protests because they don’t associate themselves with the organizers and don’t believe they can bring about change from the street. In a recent survey by the Levada Center, only 21 per cent of respondents said they would consider going to a rally in support of economic demands, and even fewer, 16 per cent, said they’d go in support of political demands. There are demographic divides, young people are generally more eager to protest, but that doesn’t really change the picture. What’s more, those ready to actively challenge Mr. Putin’s rule have been repressed. Mr. Navalny, who returned to the country in January in the hope of setting off a substantive movement to oppose Mr. Putin, was imprisoned with a two-and-a-half-year sentence. Many of his allies were jailed, while others fled the country. And last week, his organization, the Anti-Corruption Foundation, whose activities were already suspended, was officially labeled “extremist” — effectively preventing its activists from running in future elections and further intimidating supporters. It’s not just Mr. Navalny. Another opposition network; Open Russia, founded by a former oil tycoon and now exiled Kremlin critic, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, recently announced its closure, hoping to protect its coordinators. That didn’t stop the arrest on May 31 of one of the group’s executives, Andrey Pivovarov, who now faces up to six years in prison. Fearing the same fate, another prominent opposition figure, Dmitry Gudkov, fled to Ukraine in early June. Ahead of September’s legislative elections, the authorities have disbanded the opposition and docked the media, closing down the space for dissent. But a majority of Russians, consumed by the concerns of everyday life and long inured to Mr. Putin’s rule, don’t seem to care much. With them, Mr. Biden’s message about the inviolability of human rights and the sanctity of democracy, both of which are slipping away in Russia, to no general uproar, is likely to ring hollow. Even among Russians who actively support democracy, the rule of law and human rights, Mr. Biden won’t find much support. Over the past decades, many Russian liberals have become disillusioned with the West, especially the United States. For some, America’s image started to crack with the bombing of Yugoslavia and the war in Iraq. For others, it was the revelations of WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden, which brought to light a host of America’s covert operations and dirty dealings, that soured feelings of admiration. And for many, the presidency of Donald Trump, during which Washington abandoned international agreements, treated allies as clients, badly mismanaged the pandemic and, most important, exacerbated political polarisation and social dysfunction, definitively stripped America of its authority. With this legacy, no American president would have a substantial audience in Russia. Secure internally and with little to lose, Vladimir Putin is ready for President Biden. As for his image in the United States and the rest of the West, it’s fair to assume, after years as their arch-villain and evil mastermind, that Mr. Putin couldn’t care less.

Sorry, Biden. Putin honestly could not care less.

Almost a day after meeting the US President, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-seeks-mutual-interests-rational-way-with-putin-391983">historic summit</a>, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has said his government is ready to continue the dialogue with the US if the other side agrees.

"We are ready to continue this dialogue to the same extent as the American side is," Putin said during a televised session.

Have a look |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/highlights-stone-face-rare-eye-contact-biden-and-putins-historic-summit-391948">Highlights: 'Stone face, rare eye contact'- Biden and Putin's historic summit</a>

His statement has come after the two world leaders held detailed discussions on various issues on Wednesday at the picturesque villa in Geneva.

The tone of the meeting was expected to be a little grim but the two leaders surprised the world by cordially extending an olive branch, while slyly staying away from matters that have erupted in chaos in the recent past.

"Biden is a professional, you have to be very attentive when working with him so as not to miss something," Putin said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/day-after-putin-biden-summit-kremlin-says-ukraine-joining-nato-would-be-a-red-line-for-russia-392182">Day after Putin-Biden summit, Kremlin says Ukraine joining NATO would be a 'red line' for Russia</a>

However, Putin also took a sly dig at Biden infamously mixing up Syria and Libya at the G7 conference. "So what that he sometimes confuses things. His press secretary&nbsp;is a young, educated, beautiful woman -- she herself constantly confuses things," Putin remarked, referring to White House press secretary Jen Psaki. "It is not because she is poorly educated or has a bad memory, just when people think that some things are secondary they &nbsp;don't focus too much attention on them."

"I know that you have been on a long trip and had a lot of work, still the&nbsp;US-Russian&nbsp;relations have a lot of issues accumulated that require meetings at the highest level," Putin told Biden before starting the summit.

Meanwhile, Biden, too, assured everyone that the US is "not looking for conflict" but also announced that the US “is back” after the Trump era and will "respond if&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;continues its harmful activities".

Putin, too, after the summit claimed that "Americans think that nothing is more important than themselves".

Almost a day after meeting the US President, Joe Biden, in a historic summit, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has said his government is ready to continue the dialogue with the US if the other side agrees.

Almost a day after meeting the US President, Joe Biden, in a historic summit, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has said his government is ready to continue the dialogue with the US if the other side agrees. "We are ready to continue this dialogue to the same extent as the American side is," Putin said during a televised session. Have a look | Highlights: 'Stone face, rare eye contact'- Biden and Putin's historic summit His statement has come after the two world leaders held detailed discussions on various issues on Wednesday at the picturesque villa in Geneva. The tone of the meeting was expected to be a little grim but the two leaders surprised the world by cordially extending an olive branch, while slyly staying away from matters that have erupted in chaos in the recent past. "Biden is a professional, you have to be very attentive when working with him so as not to miss something," Putin said. Also read | Day after Putin-Biden summit, Kremlin says Ukraine joining NATO would be a 'red line' for Russia However, Putin also took a sly dig at Biden infamously mixing up Syria and Libya at the G7 conference. "So what that he sometimes confuses things. His press secretary is a young, educated, beautiful woman -- she herself constantly confuses things," Putin remarked, referring to White House press secretary Jen Psaki. "It is not because she is poorly educated or has a bad memory, just when people think that some things are secondary they don't focus too much attention on them." "I know that you have been on a long trip and had a lot of work, still the US-Russian relations have a lot of issues accumulated that require meetings at the highest level," Putin told Biden before starting the summit. Meanwhile, Biden, too, assured everyone that the US is "not looking for conflict" but also announced that the US “is back” after the Trump era and will "respond if Russia continues its harmful activities". Putin, too, after the summit claimed that "Americans think that nothing is more important than themselves".

Russia ready to continue dialogue if US is willing, Putin says after meeting Biden

US President Joe Biden apologised to a reporter for losing his cool at a press meet held after his first summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva. Biden, when asked why he was confident about Putin’s change in behaviour, appeared a little irritated with the question and ended up responding in an agitated manner.

Joe Biden snaps at reporter, apologises post summit for losing cool

Russia's President Vladimir Putin addresses the media during a press conference after the US-Russia summit with US President Joe Biden at Villa La Grange in Geneva. Putin called the discussions with Biden fruitful and constructive.

Putin calls discussions with Biden fruitful & constructive during post-summit press conference

Highlights: 'Stone face, rare eye contact'- Biden and Putin's historic summit

As the countdown for the Biden-Putin Summit begins. Palki Sharma takes you through 5 Presidential encounters that shaped the US-Russia relationship over the years.

Gravitas: 5 US-Russia Presidential meetings that shaped history

They have called each other killers. Now Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin will come face-to-face in Geneva. What can we expect from this "summit of adversaries"? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: A "summit of adversaries" in Geneva

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin kicked off a highly-anticipated summit. The leaders' first in-person meeting is taking place in Villa La Grange in Geneva.

Biden & Putin face off in Villa La Grange in Geneva

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Geneva for his summit with US President Joe Biden. Topics on the summit agenda include strategic stability, cybersecurity, climate change, the coronavirus pandemic, and the Arctic.

Russian President Putin arrives in Geneva for summit with Biden

Geneva prepares for the biggest meeting between US President Joe Biden & Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Both leaders talk tough ahead of the meeting. Biden vows to lay down red lines whereas Putin calls US allegations farcical.

US President Biden and Russian leader Putin to meet in Geneva

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Geneva. The White House has also been wary of describing Biden as seeking a "reset" in relations with Putin and US officials see a face-to-face as an opportunity to rebalance the relationship

US Prez Joe Biden to meet Russian counterpart Putin in Geneva

US President Joe Biden said Monday he would lay down "red lines" to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at their upcoming meeting, after rallying NATO allies to face up to challenges from Moscow and Beijing.

Speaking after his first NATO summit since being elected, Biden insisted: "I'm not looking for conflict with Russia, but that we will respond if Russia continues its harmful activities." 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-business-as-usual-nato-takes-on-russia-and-china-391475">Also read | No 'business as usual': NATO takes on Russia and China</a>

Biden also called Putin "tough" and "a worthy adversary" ahead of their hotly anticipated meeting in Geneva on Wednesday.

The warning to the Kremlin leader came as Biden pressed to renew Washington's transatlantic ties with allies after years of tensions under his predecessor Donald Trump.

At Biden's urging, NATO leaders agreed to work together against the "systemic challenges" posed by China's aggressive policies as the alliance fleshed out its nascent approach to Beijing.

China's increasingly assertive actions in building a nuclear arsenal as well as space and cyber warfare capabilities threaten the international order, they said in a statement.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the allies would seek to cooperate with China on global issues like climate change, as European capitals wanted.

But, in a nod to Washington's growing concern, he warned: "China's growing influence and international policies present challenges to Alliance security."

"Leaders agreed that we need to address such challenges together as an alliance and that we need to engage with China to defend our security interests," he said.

In the summit communique, the leaders told Russia that there would be no quick return to "business as usual".

Russia's military build-up and provocative behaviour on NATO's eastern frontier "increasingly threaten the security of the Euro-Atlantic area and contribute to instability along NATO borders and beyond".

"Right balance"

On China, Biden is picking up from where Trump left off by getting NATO to start paying attention to Beijing.

But European allies have been wary that an increase of focus on China could distract NATO from its major priority -- Russia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted that alliance members should not "overestimate" the dangers posed from Beijing.

"We have to find the right balance," she said. "China is a rival on many issues, but at the same time it is also a partner on many issues."

French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that NATO should not spread itself too thin and "skew" the relationship with China.

"NATO is a military organisation, the subject of our relationship with China is not only military," he said, stressing NATO's North Atlantic focus.

Afghanistan&nbsp;

Looming large in the background for the summit was also the scramble to complete NATO's hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan after Biden surprised partners by ordering US troops home by September 11.

Biden discussed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an offer from Ankara to keep troops in the country to secure Kabul airport -- provided the US gave support.

Erdogan announced no firm deal on the issue -- or any progress on the thorny dispute over Turkey's purchase of Russia's S-400 missile system.

But Erdogan insisted that he had held "fruitful and sincere" talks with his US counterpart.

The final NATO summit statement did not mention Turkey's role at the airport but did stress that the alliance would continue to pay to keep the facility open.

Much of the summit Monday was dedicated to trying to forge a way forward by greenlighting a 2030 reform plan to revitalise an alliance that Macron warned in 2019 was undergoing "brain death".

Allies endorsed a new cyber defence policy to tackle rising threats and agreed for the first time that an attack in space could trigger the Article 5 collective defence clause.

They also committed to increasing the alliance's budget and spending more on "common funding" -- but details remained sparse after opposition to increased spending led by France.

US President Joe Biden said Monday he would lay down "red lines" to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at their upcoming meeting, after rallying NATO allies to face up to challenges from Moscow and Beijing.

US President Joe Biden said Monday he would lay down "red lines" to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at their upcoming meeting, after rallying NATO allies to face up to challenges from Moscow and Beijing. Speaking after his first NATO summit since being elected, Biden insisted: "I'm not looking for conflict with Russia, but that we will respond if Russia continues its harmful activities." Also read | No 'business as usual': NATO takes on Russia and China Biden also called Putin "tough" and "a worthy adversary" ahead of their hotly anticipated meeting in Geneva on Wednesday. The warning to the Kremlin leader came as Biden pressed to renew Washington's transatlantic ties with allies after years of tensions under his predecessor Donald Trump. At Biden's urging, NATO leaders agreed to work together against the "systemic challenges" posed by China's aggressive policies as the alliance fleshed out its nascent approach to Beijing. China's increasingly assertive actions in building a nuclear arsenal as well as space and cyber warfare capabilities threaten the international order, they said in a statement. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the allies would seek to cooperate with China on global issues like climate change, as European capitals wanted. But, in a nod to Washington's growing concern, he warned: "China's growing influence and international policies present challenges to Alliance security." "Leaders agreed that we need to address such challenges together as an alliance and that we need to engage with China to defend our security interests," he said. In the summit communique, the leaders told Russia that there would be no quick return to "business as usual". Russia's military build-up and provocative behaviour on NATO's eastern frontier "increasingly threaten the security of the Euro-Atlantic area and contribute to instability along NATO borders and beyond". "Right balance" On China, Biden is picking up from where Trump left off by getting NATO to start paying attention to Beijing. But European allies have been wary that an increase of focus on China could distract NATO from its major priority -- Russia. German Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted that alliance members should not "overestimate" the dangers posed from Beijing. "We have to find the right balance," she said. "China is a rival on many issues, but at the same time it is also a partner on many issues." French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that NATO should not spread itself too thin and "skew" the relationship with China. "NATO is a military organisation, the subject of our relationship with China is not only military," he said, stressing NATO's North Atlantic focus. Afghanistan Looming large in the background for the summit was also the scramble to complete NATO's hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan after Biden surprised partners by ordering US troops home by September 11. Biden discussed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an offer from Ankara to keep troops in the country to secure Kabul airport -- provided the US gave support. Erdogan announced no firm deal on the issue -- or any progress on the thorny dispute over Turkey's purchase of Russia's S-400 missile system. But Erdogan insisted that he had held "fruitful and sincere" talks with his US counterpart. The final NATO summit statement did not mention Turkey's role at the airport but did stress that the alliance would continue to pay to keep the facility open. Much of the summit Monday was dedicated to trying to forge a way forward by greenlighting a 2030 reform plan to revitalise an alliance that Macron warned in 2019 was undergoing "brain death". Allies endorsed a new cyber defence policy to tackle rising threats and agreed for the first time that an attack in space could trigger the Article 5 collective defence clause. They also committed to increasing the alliance's budget and spending more on "common funding" -- but details remained sparse after opposition to increased spending led by France.

Joe Biden vows to lay down 'red lines' to Vladimir Putin

US President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will meet face-to-face on June 16 in Geneva. The summit will take place at the end of Biden's visit to Europe and after he has met with America‘s allies in NATO and the European Union.

Biden & Putin to hold bilateral meet in Geneva on June 16

At a low point in US-Russian relations, President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin appear to agree broadly on at least one thing,&nbsp;their first face-to-face meeting Wednesday is a chance to set the stage for a new era in arms control.

Whether that leads to actual arms negotiations is another matter, complicated by the soured relationship and accusations by each country that the other has cheated on past arms treaties.

The fabric of arms control has been fraying, notably with the abandonment in 2019;&nbsp;first by Washington, then by Moscow,&nbsp;of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which had governed a whole class of missiles for more than three decades.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-formally-exits-from-open-skies-pact-with-us-after-putins-approval-389947">Russia formally exits from Open Skies pact with US after Putin's approval</a>

The Trump administration also pulled the United States out of the Open Skies Treaty, which had allowed surveillance flights over military facilities in both countries. Last month the Biden administration informed the Russians that it would not reenter the treaty, and last week Putin confirmed Russia's exit.

Biden and Putin now face choices about how and when to restart a dialogue over arms control priorities, even as Biden faces pressure from Congress on China's growing military might and North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Despite its importance, the arms control issue may get overshadowed at the Biden-Putin summit, given heightened US focus on ransomware attacks, alleged Russian interference in US elections, Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's border and allegations that the Kremlin was behind the SolarWinds hacking campaign.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-slap-new-sanctions-on-russia-for-election-interference-cyber-attack-sources-377685">US to slap new sanctions on Russia for election interference, cyber attack: Sources</a>

International arms control groups are pressing the Russian and American leaders to start a push for new arms control by holding "strategic stability" talks,&nbsp;a series of government-to-government discussions meant to sort through the many areas of disagreement and tension on the national security front.

There also are calls for such consultations to include Europe because the talks could cover a wide range of issues including cyberthreats, space operations and missile defences, in addition to nuclear weapons.

Officials in Moscow and Washington have indicated they see value in strategic stability talks, which probably would not be an arms control negotiation but rather a series of discussions at lower levels aimed at deciding how to organize and prioritize an eventual arms control agenda.

"What we are looking to do is for the two presidents to be able to send a clear signal to their teams on questions of strategic stability so that we can make progress on arms control and other nuclear areas to reduce tension and instability in that aspect of the relationship,"&nbsp;Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said last week.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-us-russia-fight-it-out-or-resolve-issues-377626">Will US, Russia fight it out or resolve issues?</a>

Washington broke off strategic stability talks with Moscow in 2014 in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and its military intervention in support of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Talks resumed in 2017 but gained little traction and failed during the Trump administration's final weeks to produce an agreement on extending the New START treaty limiting nuclear weapons. Shortly after Biden took office in January, the two sides agreed to a five-year extension but with no road map for future talks.

Biden wrote in The Washington Post, previewing his trip to Europe, that he already has made clear to Putin that the United States wants to avoid conflict. Biden will attend a NATO summit meeting and consult with European Union officials before the Geneva session with Putin.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-says-relations-with-us-at-lowest-point-in-years-praises-trump-390976">Putin says relations with US at lowest point in years, praises Trump</a>

"We want a stable and predictable relationship where we can work with Russia on issues like strategic stability and arms control," Biden wrote.

Putin said he, too, is ready for such talks.

"Strategic stability is extremely important,"&nbsp;Putin said June 3 in remarks to heads of international news agencies.

"We don't want to scare anyone with our new weapons systems. Yes, we are developing them, and we have achieved certain results and successes. But all leading countries and leading military powers are doing this, and we are just one step ahead."&nbsp;

"We realize that other high-tech powers, such as the United States and other countries, will achieve similar results sooner or later,"&nbsp;Putin added. "Therefore, I believe that it is better to reach an agreement in advance on how we will live together in a changing world. We are ready for this."

Putin appeared to be alluding to what some call Russia's exotic strategic weapons such as the Poseidon nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered torpedo and the experimental Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.

Putin has said these can be discussed as part of a strategic stability dialogue. But the Americans must be prepared to include for discussion their work on strategic missile defences, which Moscow has long called an impediment to arms control.

International arms control experts want to ensure that Europe has a place at the table. Some favour a restart of direct consultations between NATO and Russia, which were cut off after Russia seized Crimea, not as an arms control forum but as a means of discussing tensions and reducing risks of war.

In the past, the US, Europe and Russia shared a mutual understanding of the ways to avoid accidents and miscalculations leading to conflict.

"Today, however, clashing national interests, insufficient dialogue, eroding arms control agreements, advanced missile systems, and new cyber and hypersonic weapons have destabilised the old equilibrium and are increasing the risk of nuclear conflict,"&nbsp;US, European and Russian members of the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group wrote in a statement last Monday urging more attention to arms control.

In a separate appeal to Putin and Biden, a group of Russian and American organisations, nuclear policy experts and former senior government officials called for resuming a strategic dialogue "that is regular, frequent, comprehensive and result-oriented leading to further reduction of the nuclear risk hanging over the world and to the rediscovery of the road to a world free of nuclear weapons."

At a low point in US-Russian relations, President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin appear to agree broadly on at least one thing, their first face-to-face meeting Wednesday is a chance to set the stage for a new era in arms control.

At a low point in US-Russian relations, President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin appear to agree broadly on at least one thing, their first face-to-face meeting Wednesday is a chance to set the stage for a new era in arms control. Whether that leads to actual arms negotiations is another matter, complicated by the soured relationship and accusations by each country that the other has cheated on past arms treaties. The fabric of arms control has been fraying, notably with the abandonment in 2019; first by Washington, then by Moscow, of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which had governed a whole class of missiles for more than three decades. Also read | Russia formally exits from Open Skies pact with US after Putin's approval The Trump administration also pulled the United States out of the Open Skies Treaty, which had allowed surveillance flights over military facilities in both countries. Last month the Biden administration informed the Russians that it would not reenter the treaty, and last week Putin confirmed Russia's exit. Biden and Putin now face choices about how and when to restart a dialogue over arms control priorities, even as Biden faces pressure from Congress on China's growing military might and North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Despite its importance, the arms control issue may get overshadowed at the Biden-Putin summit, given heightened US focus on ransomware attacks, alleged Russian interference in US elections, Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's border and allegations that the Kremlin was behind the SolarWinds hacking campaign. Also read | US to slap new sanctions on Russia for election interference, cyber attack: Sources International arms control groups are pressing the Russian and American leaders to start a push for new arms control by holding "strategic stability" talks, a series of government-to-government discussions meant to sort through the many areas of disagreement and tension on the national security front. There also are calls for such consultations to include Europe because the talks could cover a wide range of issues including cyberthreats, space operations and missile defences, in addition to nuclear weapons. Officials in Moscow and Washington have indicated they see value in strategic stability talks, which probably would not be an arms control negotiation but rather a series of discussions at lower levels aimed at deciding how to organize and prioritize an eventual arms control agenda. "What we are looking to do is for the two presidents to be able to send a clear signal to their teams on questions of strategic stability so that we can make progress on arms control and other nuclear areas to reduce tension and instability in that aspect of the relationship," Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said last week. Also read | Will US, Russia fight it out or resolve issues? Washington broke off strategic stability talks with Moscow in 2014 in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and its military intervention in support of separatists in eastern Ukraine. Talks resumed in 2017 but gained little traction and failed during the Trump administration's final weeks to produce an agreement on extending the New START treaty limiting nuclear weapons. Shortly after Biden took office in January, the two sides agreed to a five-year extension but with no road map for future talks. Biden wrote in The Washington Post, previewing his trip to Europe, that he already has made clear to Putin that the United States wants to avoid conflict. Biden will attend a NATO summit meeting and consult with European Union officials before the Geneva session with Putin. Also read | Putin says relations with US at lowest point in years, praises Trump "We want a stable and predictable relationship where we can work with Russia on issues like strategic stability and arms control," Biden wrote. Putin said he, too, is ready for such talks. "Strategic stability is extremely important," Putin said June 3 in remarks to heads of international news agencies. "We don't want to scare anyone with our new weapons systems. Yes, we are developing them, and we have achieved certain results and successes. But all leading countries and leading military powers are doing this, and we are just one step ahead." "We realize that other high-tech powers, such as the United States and other countries, will achieve similar results sooner or later," Putin added. "Therefore, I believe that it is better to reach an agreement in advance on how we will live together in a changing world. We are ready for this." Putin appeared to be alluding to what some call Russia's exotic strategic weapons such as the Poseidon nuclear-armed, nuclear-powered torpedo and the experimental Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile. Putin has said these can be discussed as part of a strategic stability dialogue. But the Americans must be prepared to include for discussion their work on strategic missile defences, which Moscow has long called an impediment to arms control. International arms control experts want to ensure that Europe has a place at the table. Some favour a restart of direct consultations between NATO and Russia, which were cut off after Russia seized Crimea, not as an arms control forum but as a means of discussing tensions and reducing risks of war. In the past, the US, Europe and Russia shared a mutual understanding of the ways to avoid accidents and miscalculations leading to conflict. "Today, however, clashing national interests, insufficient dialogue, eroding arms control agreements, advanced missile systems, and new cyber and hypersonic weapons have destabilised the old equilibrium and are increasing the risk of nuclear conflict," US, European and Russian members of the Euro-Atlantic Security Leadership Group wrote in a statement last Monday urging more attention to arms control. In a separate appeal to Putin and Biden, a group of Russian and American organisations, nuclear policy experts and former senior government officials called for resuming a strategic dialogue "that is regular, frequent, comprehensive and result-oriented leading to further reduction of the nuclear risk hanging over the world and to the rediscovery of the road to a world free of nuclear weapons."

At an arms control crossroads, Biden and Putin face choices

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he expects this week's summit with US President Joe Biden will help establish constructive dialogues between the two countries. Putin also added that Russia would be ready to hand over cybercriminals to the United States if Washington did the same for Moscow.

Putin says Russia ready to handover cybercriminals to US

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

US President Joe Biden on Sunday said that 'autocrat' Vladimir Putin was right to suggest that relations between USA and Russia were at their lowest. Biden suggested that Russia might be weaker than it seemed.

Joe Biden argued that the world's richest democracies faced existential contest from "autocrats". This, he said would define 21st century.

Biden is scheduled to attend NATO summit on Monday. He will then meet Putin in Geneva on June 16. The meeting of the two presidents is likely to be a combative encounter given the disputes between the two countries over spying, hacking, election meddling, Ukraine, Belarus and human rights

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-cautions-g7-small-groups-dont-rule-the-world-391151">China cautions G7: 'Small' groups don't rule the world</a>

Biden, who called the former KGB spy a killer in March, cast Russia as engaging in unacceptable behaviour on a range of fronts but also pointed to Russia's own "dilemmas" - its post-Soviet economic collapse, what he called overreach in Syria and problems with COVID-19.

Asked why Putin, who has served as Russia's paramount leader since Boris Yeltsin resigned in 1999, had not changed despite years of Western sanctions, Biden quipped: "He's Vladimir Putin".

"Autocrats have enormous power and they don't have to answer to a public and the fact is that it may very well be if I respond in kind, as I will, that it doesn't dissuade him - he wants to keep going," Biden said of Putin.

The two former Cold War foes have had a turbulent relationship for years though relations soured after Putin sought to rebuild some of the clout lost in the chaotic 1991 Soviet collapse and began meddling far beyond Russia's borders.

U.S. and other Western leaders now see Putin and Xi Jinping's China as their main strategic threats, though the Kremlin dismisses as fiction almost all allegations against Russia and says the West is gripped by anti-Russian hysteria.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden on Sunday said that 'autocrat' Vladimir Putin was right to suggest that relations between USA and Russia were at their lowest. Biden suggested that Russia might be weaker than it seemed.

US President Joe Biden on Sunday said that 'autocrat' Vladimir Putin was right to suggest that relations between USA and Russia were at their lowest. Biden suggested that Russia might be weaker than it seemed. Joe Biden argued that the world's richest democracies faced existential contest from "autocrats". This, he said would define 21st century. Biden is scheduled to attend NATO summit on Monday. He will then meet Putin in Geneva on June 16. The meeting of the two presidents is likely to be a combative encounter given the disputes between the two countries over spying, hacking, election meddling, Ukraine, Belarus and human rights Also Read: China cautions G7: 'Small' groups don't rule the world Biden, who called the former KGB spy a killer in March, cast Russia as engaging in unacceptable behaviour on a range of fronts but also pointed to Russia's own "dilemmas" - its post-Soviet economic collapse, what he called overreach in Syria and problems with COVID-19. Asked why Putin, who has served as Russia's paramount leader since Boris Yeltsin resigned in 1999, had not changed despite years of Western sanctions, Biden quipped: "He's Vladimir Putin". "Autocrats have enormous power and they don't have to answer to a public and the fact is that it may very well be if I respond in kind, as I will, that it doesn't dissuade him - he wants to keep going," Biden said of Putin. The two former Cold War foes have had a turbulent relationship for years though relations soured after Putin sought to rebuild some of the clout lost in the chaotic 1991 Soviet collapse and began meddling far beyond Russia's borders. U.S. and other Western leaders now see Putin and Xi Jinping's China as their main strategic threats, though the Kremlin dismisses as fiction almost all allegations against Russia and says the West is gripped by anti-Russian hysteria. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden says 'autocrat' Putin's Russia might be weaker than it seems

The White House said on Saturday that US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not hold a joint press conference after their meet. Biden will hold a solo press conference after he meets Putin.

A US official said the meeting in Geneva on Wednesday is expected to be "candid and straightforward".

But they added: "A solo press conference is the appropriate format to clearly communicate with the free press the topics that were raised in the meeting, both in terms of areas where we may agree and in areas where we have significant concerns."

The White House said the meeting would involve "a working session and a smaller session", without giving further details.

Many issues are on the table as the two presidents meet. These include US concerns about Russian Sabre-rattling on Ukrainian border, imprisonment of Alexei Navalny and Putin's support for Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

Biden also blames Russia for the massive SolarWinds cyberattack, election interference, and harbouring criminals behind a spate of ransomware attacks.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolsonaro-booed-on-plane-tells-critics-to-take-a-donkey-391010">Bolsonaro booed on plane, tells critics to 'take a donkey'</a>

Washington has insisted for weeks now that its aim is to make relations between the two countries more "stable and predictable".&nbsp;

The joint press conference that followed the meeting between Biden's predecessor Donald Trump and Putin in Helsinki in July 2018 is still fresh in the memory in the United States.

Trump caused an outcry in his own camp by indicating he accepted the word of Putin above the conclusions of his own intelligence agencies that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 US presidential election campaign.

(With inputs from agencies)

The White House said on Saturday that US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not hold a joint press conference after their meet. Biden will hold a solo press conference after he meets Putin.

The White House said on Saturday that US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will not hold a joint press conference after their meet. Biden will hold a solo press conference after he meets Putin. A US official said the meeting in Geneva on Wednesday is expected to be "candid and straightforward". But they added: "A solo press conference is the appropriate format to clearly communicate with the free press the topics that were raised in the meeting, both in terms of areas where we may agree and in areas where we have significant concerns." The White House said the meeting would involve "a working session and a smaller session", without giving further details. Many issues are on the table as the two presidents meet. These include US concerns about Russian Sabre-rattling on Ukrainian border, imprisonment of Alexei Navalny and Putin's support for Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. Biden also blames Russia for the massive SolarWinds cyberattack, election interference, and harbouring criminals behind a spate of ransomware attacks. Also Read | Bolsonaro booed on plane, tells critics to 'take a donkey' Washington has insisted for weeks now that its aim is to make relations between the two countries more "stable and predictable". The joint press conference that followed the meeting between Biden's predecessor Donald Trump and Putin in Helsinki in July 2018 is still fresh in the memory in the United States. Trump caused an outcry in his own camp by indicating he accepted the word of Putin above the conclusions of his own intelligence agencies that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 US presidential election campaign. (With inputs from agencies)

No joint press conference after Biden-Putin meet, says White House

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