Putin and Biden will hold a summit in Geneva in June

Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden will hold a summit in Geneva on June 16 to repair the tense relationship between the two countries.

The Kremlin said in a statement that at the first face-to-face meeting as president, the leaders of the United States and Russia will “discuss the state and prospects of the further development of Russia-US relations and the issue of strategic stability.”

The White House stated that Biden and Putin “will discuss all pressing issues as we seek to restore the predictability and stability of US-Russian relations.”

The meeting took place at a time when the bilateral relations between Moscow and Washington deteriorated. SanctionsTit for tat Diplomatic expulsion And the U.S. allegations Russian intervention In the election.

Russian President Biden said in an interview that the Russian ambassador to Washington was recalled in March and he agreed with the interviewer that Putin was a “killer.” A month later, the US ambassador to Moscow also returned to his hometown for talks.

Biden suggested In a telephone call with Putin in April, at a summit held in a third country, the President of the United States stated that this would be an effort to “normalize” relations between the two countries.

Two days later, he imposed a series of new sanctions on Russia on the grounds that Russia’s actions allegedly included US election influence operations, cyber hacking, and the abuse of opposition leader Alexei Navani.

The Biden administration has stated that it neither seeks to re-establish relations nor to escalate tensions, but to impose a “guardrail” on it.

Some analysts in Washington say that such high-profile meetings between leaders have effectively helped Putin in a public relations coup, while U.S. officials have made it clear that the Biden administration is seeking constructive ways to develop areas of cooperation, including nuclear Issues, climate, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria and North Korea.

The Kremlin said that the leaders of the two countries will also discuss “thematic issues on the international agenda, including interaction in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and the resolution of regional conflicts.”

Russia denies allegations of involvement in the US election. SolarWinds cyber attack.

The announcement of the summit came the day after Biden’s national security adviser Jack Sullivan and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev met in Geneva. The White House stated that these talks were “conducted in a constructive manner, and despite huge differences, people have a better understanding of each other’s positions.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in Reykjavik last week talks It is considered to have paved the way for the presidential summit.

The Geneva meeting will be part of Biden’s first international trip as president, and will then visit the UK to participate in the G7 summit and NATO meeting in Brussels.