16 June 2021
US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their first face-to-face meetings today at a historic summit in Geneva.
President Joe Biden said the talks were “positive,” and he told Putin that certain US “critical infrastructure” should be off-limits for cyberattacks.
President Putin described the summit as “constructive,” saying both countries will begin consultations on cybersecurity and US and Russian ambassadors will return to their diplomatic posts.
US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin took their first photo at the historic meeting at Villa la Grange in Geneva as the summit got underway.
The two presidents stood outside the villa with the Swiss President Guy Parmelin, who made short remarks welcoming the two leaders. Parmelin said he wished the leaders a “fruitful dialogue in the interest of their two countries and the world.”
The two leaders shook hands, looked at each other, and smiled.
Both leaders have recently acknowledged a low point in relations between the two nations.