Biden to Putin: ‘I will respond to actions’
In meeting, president is frank with Russian
GENEVA — President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin emerged from more than three hours of direct talks declaring their first meeting a success, despite making little tangible progress toward immediately improving the strained relationship between Washington and Moscow.
Biden said his aim was “straightforward” — to be frank with Putin about the Kremlin’s trampling of human rights, military adventurism in Ukraine and attacks on democracy, including interference in U.S elections.
“I want President Putin to understand why I say what I say, and why I do what I do, and how I will respond to certain actions that harm American interests,” said Biden, who said the summit was about establishing “some rules of the road.”
If he drew any red lines with Putin, he was vague in describing them at a news conference with U.S. reporters after the talks.
Biden said the prospect of an American military response to Russia’s actions was never broached.
But he also suggested that America’s cybercapabilities exceeded Moscow’s, hinting that the U.S. could retaliate in kind to continued cyberattacks from within Russia.
He also said “the consequences … would be devastating for Russia” if imprisoned Putin foe and opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who survived being poisoned with a Russian nerve agent last year, were to die in the state’s hands.
Biden acknowledged that Wednesday’s events were not a “kumbaya moment,” but asserted that Putin is also interested in averting a new Cold War as he sees China increasingly asserting economic and military power.
“I think there’s a real prospect to genuinely improve the relations” between Russia and the U.S. without giving up fundamental values, Biden said at his news conference after the Russian leader spoke to reporters for about an hour.