Biden, Putin Touch On Number Of Topics, Declare Meeting ‘Constructive’ Despite Wide Range Of Issues Remaining

President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hours-long meeting Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland, touched on many topics, but failed to yield – as expected – many immediate, concrete results.

Biden and Putin spoke for around three hours, falling short of estimates from those in the White House, who suggested the meeting could take four or five hours. The two did not partake in a joint press conference afterwards. Instead, Putin spoke to reporters for nearly an hour and Biden followed shortly after.

The two leaders agreed to return their ambassadors to their Washington and Moscow posts during the summit, although no official date was announced. Anatoly Antonov, Russian’s ambassador to the U.S., and John Sullivan, Washington’s ambassador to Moscow, were recalled earlier this year after Biden announced new sanctions against Russia due to a cyberattack on government agencies, CNBC reported.

Biden and Putin also discussed cybersecurity, two Americans imprisoned in Russia, imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Ukraine and more. While Biden described the meeting as “good” and “positive” and Putin declared it to be “very constructive,” a wide range of issues remain between the two countries.

On cybersecurity…

A slew of ransomware attacks on companies in the U.S. have been linked to Russian-based groups. One attack against Colonial Pipeline shut down operations and sparked fuel shortages across the Southeastern U.S. in May. JBS, the world’s largest meat supplier, was also hit with a ransomware attack in June.

Putin, speaking to reporters first, accepted no responsibility on the subject of cyberattacks linked to Russia. He accused Washington and Western countries of taking part in cyberattacks on Russia and said he agreed with Biden to “begin consultations on that issue.”

“I believe that’s extraordinarily important. And obviously both sides have to assume certain obligations there,” Putin told reporters, though he didn’t offer specifics, Politico reported.

“We believe that cyberspace is extraordinarily important in general, and in particular for the U.S. and, to the same extent, for Russia,” Putin continued before going on to accuse the U.S. of not being “particularly interested in organizing them or looking into” attacks allegedly coming from the country.

Biden told reporters that Putin is aware of consequences if ransomware attacks – and election interference, another topic of the day – continue.

“He knows I will take actions, like we did this last time out,” Biden said. “What happened was, we in fact made it clear that we were not going to continue to allow this to go on … He knows there are consequences.”

Biden said Putin’s “credibility worldwide shrinks” with situations like this – and speculated that this matters very much to the Russian president. He also noted that Putin was given a list of 16 critical infrastructure items that are off-limits for cyberattacks, promising an American response if such attacks didn’t cease.

“What would it be like if we engaged in activities that he has engaged in? It diminishes the standing of a country that is desperately trying to make sure that it maintains its standing as a major world power. And so it’s not just what I do, it’s what the actions that other countries take – in this case Russia – that are contrary to international norms. It’s the price they pay,” the American president added.

On human rights issues, Navalny…

Putin repeatedly dodged human rights-related questions and tried to turn the tables back over onto the U.S. during comments to reporters. The Russian president slammed America for daily “shootings and killings” and compiled an array of instances that he used to deflect his own country’s problems.

“Look at the streets of America, every single day there are shootings and killings,” Putin said. “You don’t have time to open your mouth and you are shot dead. Or, you remember the man who shot the woman in the back, or who drove his car over her? And then there was that shooting at the wedding. Let’s say it was an error, because that happens too — but shooting helicopters of civilians in Iraq, what was that about? Who is responsible for that?”

The Russian president also brought up the Jan. 6 riot, where supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, and the shooting death of Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt, again deflecting on the imprisonment of Navalny.

“Many countries are going through exactly what we are going through. Let me just repeat: We sympathize with what was happening in the states, but we do not wish that to happen in Russia,” Putin said.

Notably, Putin wouldn’t refer to Navalny by name throughout Wednesday’s press conference, instead calling him “this man.” He claimed Navalny “knew he was violating the law” and “deliberately” ignored the law.

“He did what he wanted to do,” Putin declared. “What can you say?”

Afterwards, Biden decried Putin’s comparison of Navalny to the arrests following the Jan. 6 riot, calling it “ridiculous.” The American president said he “made it clear to” Putin “that we will continue to raise cases of fundamental human rights.”

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