US-RUSSIA TIES IN FOCUS AS BIDEN MEETS PUTIN NEXT MONTH

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16, seeking to “restore predictability and stability” to the bilateral relationship, the White House announced on Tuesday. It will be their first meeting after Biden took office as president. They have interacted virtually before, including at a climate summit.

“The leaders will discuss the full range of pressing issues, as we seek to restore predictability and stability to the US-Russia relationship,” the White House said. The Geneva meeting comes amid rising tensions between the two countries over a growing list of issues, including Russian meddling in US elections, the SolarWinds hacking of US government networks and companies, and Moscow’s handling of jailed dissident Alexei Navalny.