Biden, Putin hold talks despite tensions

THE US and Russia were holding a fresh round of talks in Geneva yesterday aimed at stabilising their thorny relationship.

The talks are a continuation of the strategic dialogue that started last month in the Swiss city with the first summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden.

The meeting took place behind closed doors. The talks, being led by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, were expected to last most of the day.

The US mission in Geneva posted two pictures of Sherman meeting Ryabkov. They were both standing indoors in front of their respective flags and wearing face masks. In one of the pictures, they were touching elbows.

The talks will cover the thorny issue of arms control. Bonnie Jenkins, who one week ago was confirmed as the under secretary of state for arms control and international security affairs, is part of the US delegation.

“Through this dialogue, we seek to lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures,” the State Department said when announcing yesterday’s talks.

Ryabkov told Russian news agencies on Tuesday that the talks would allow Moscow to “understand how serious the mindset of our US colleagues is in terms of establishing a concentrated, energetic dialogue in strategic stability”. But he added: “I would not raise the bar of expectations.”

The diplomacy comes amid tensions on multiple fronts between the two nations, with Washington blaming Moscow for a wave of cyberattacks, for which Russia denies any responsibility.

Biden has accused Putin of seeking to disrupt the 2022 US congressional elections by spreading “misinformation”.

| AFP A BURNED car lies among the smouldering remains of a home during the Dixie fire in Indian Falls, California this week. The Dixie Fire in the northern part of California has been raging since mid-July, part of a climate crisis that has brought sweltering heat and drought.