View source for 2021 Russia–United States summit

{{Short description|Joe Biden-Vladimir Putin meeting in Geneva}}
{{Infobox summit meeting
| name         = 2021 Russia–United States summit
| logo         = 
| image        = Putin in Switzerland 2021 10.jpg
| alt          = 
| caption      = [[Joe Biden]] and [[Vladimir Putin]] during the summit
| country      = {{Flag|Switzerland}}<ref name="summit">{{cite web |title=Statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on the Meeting Between President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin of Russia |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/05/25/statement-by-white-house-press-secretary-jen-psaki-on-the-meeting-between-president-joe-biden-and-president-vladimir-putin-of-russia/ |website=whitehouse.gov |date=25 May 2021 |access-date=26 May 2021}}</ref>
| date         = 16 June 2021<ref name="summit" />
| motto        = 
| cities       = [[Geneva]]
| participants = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Joe Biden]]<br />{{flagicon|USA}} [[Antony Blinken]]<br />{{flagicon|Russia}} [[Vladimir Putin]]<br />{{flagicon|Russia}} [[Sergey Lavrov]]
| chairperson  =
| follows      = 
| precedes     = 
| website      = 
| keypoints    =
| venues       =  [[Parc La Grange|Villa La Grange]]<ref name="walters">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/09/biden-putin-summit-villa-switzerland-venue |title=Biden set to meet Putin in 18th-century Swiss villa for first summit |last=Walters |first=Joanna |date=10 June 2021 |website=The Guardian |access-date=10 June 2021}}</ref>
}}
{{Joe Biden series|expanded=Tenure}}
{{Putin sidebar}}
The '''2021 Russia–United States summit''' (also known as '''Geneva 2021''' or the '''Biden–Putin summit''') was a [[Summit (meeting)|summit meeting]] between United States President [[Joe Biden]] and Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] on 16 June 2021, in [[Geneva, Switzerland]].

==History==
Two summits between the United States and Russia were held in Geneva during the [[Cold War]]. In [[Geneva Summit (1955)|July 1955]], the leaders of Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States discussed global security.<ref>{{cite video
 | year =1955
 | title =Deadlock. East-West Tensions Stymie Geneva Meet, 1955/10/31 (1955)
 | url =https://archive.org/details/1955-10-31_Deadlock
 | publisher =[[Universal Newsreel]]
 | access-date =February 22, 2012
}}</ref> In [[Geneva Summit (1985)|November 1985]], U.S. President [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Soviet General Secretary]] [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] also met there to discuss diplomatic relations and nuclear weaponry.

==Background==
[[File:Vice President Joe Biden greets Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.jpg|thumb|US Vice President [[Joe Biden]] and Russian Prime Minister [[Vladimir Putin]] in [[Moscow]], Russia in March 2011]]
Prior to the summit, Biden and Putin had met once, in [[Moscow]] in March 2011, when Biden was vice president and Putin was prime minister. After an official group meeting Biden characterized in his memoir as "argumentative," he and Putin met privately, with Biden saying "Mr. Prime Minister, I’m looking into your eyes," (a reference to a 2001 meeting between Putin and President Bush, who later said "I looked the man in the eye...I was able to get a sense of his soul"). Biden continued, "I don’t think you have a soul." Putin replied, "We understand each other."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Steinhauer |first1=Jennifer |title=Biden to Face a Confrontational Russia in a World Changed From His Time in Office |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/15/us/politics/biden-russia-trump-putin.html |work=New York Times |date=December 15, 2020}}</ref>

As vice president, Biden had urged then Ukrainian President [[Petro Poroshenko]] to eliminate middlemen such as Ukrainian oligarch [[Dmytro Firtash]] from the country's natural gas industry, and to reduce the country's [[Russia in the European energy sector|reliance on imports of Russian natural gas]]. Putin reportedly influenced the appointment of Firtash, who had been fighting extradition to the US on bribery and organised crime charges.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/25/us/giuliani-ukraine-oligarchs.html|title=Why Giuliani Singled Out 2 Ukrainian Oligarchs to Help Look for Dirt|first1=Jo|last1=Becker|first2=Walt|last2=Bogdanich|first3=Maggie|last3=Haberman|first4=Ben|last4=Protess|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-capitalism-gas-special-report-pix-idUSL3N0TF4QD20141126|title=SPECIAL REPORT-Putin's allies channelled billions to Ukraine oligarch|first=Stephen Grey, Tom Bergin, Sevgil Musaieva, Roman|last=Anin|newspaper=Reuters|date=November 26, 2014|via=www.reuters.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5699201/exclusive-how-a-ukrainian-oligarch-wanted-by-u-s-authorities-helped-giuliani-attack-biden/|title=Exclusive: How a Ukrainian Oligarch Wanted by U.S. Authorities Helped Giuliani Attack Biden|magazine=Time}}</ref>

Two months before the summit, the Biden administration took measures to punish Russia for hostile activities such as interference in the [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|2016]] and [[Russian interference in the 2020 United States elections|2020]] presidential elections. National security advisor [[Jake Sullivan]] said the measures included "a mix of tools seen and unseen," including financial sanctions.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/us/politics/biden-russia-sanctions.html|title=Biden Administration to Impose Tough Sanctions on Russia|first1=Julian E.|last1=Barnes|first2=David E.|last2=Sanger|first3=Lara|last3=Jakes|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 15, 2021}}</ref>

In May 2021, the Biden administration waived [[Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act|CAATSA sanctions]] on the company behind Russia's [[Nord Stream 2]] gas pipeline to Germany and its chief executive.<ref>{{cite news |title=Biden Says He Waived Nord Stream Sanctions Because It's Finished |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-25/biden-says-he-waived-nord-stream-sanctions-because-it-s-finished |work=Bloomberg |date=May 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Putin-Biden Summit Set for June 16 in Geneva |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/05/25/putin-biden-summit-set-for-june-16-in-geneva-a73998 |work=[[The Moscow Times]] |date=May 25, 2021}}</ref> Russian Deputy Foreign Minister [[Sergei Ryabkov]] welcomed the move as "a chance for a gradual transition toward the normalisation of our bilateral ties".<ref>{{cite news |title=Nord Stream 2: Biden waives US sanctions on Russian pipeline |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57180674 |publisher=BBC News |date=May 20, 2021}}</ref>

Speaking to American military personnel in Britain en route to the summit, Biden said, "We're not seeking conflict with Russia. We want a stable predictable relationship. I've been clear: the United States will respond in a robust and meaningful way if the Russian government engages in harmful activities." He added he would "meet with Mr. Putin to let him know what I want him to know."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/09/politics/joe-biden-troops-europe-trip/index.html|title=Biden warns he'll tell Putin 'what I want him to know' as he defines goals of foreign tour|author=Kevin Liptak|website=CNN|date=9 June 2021}}</ref>

Days before the talks, Putin again denied responsibility for [[JBS S.A. cyberattack|cyberattacks on meat processing companies in the US]]. He has previously said the accusations were an attempt to provoke conflict ahead of the summit.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/71972/ |title=Putin denies accusations of cyberattacks by Russia against U.S. |date=June 4, 2021 |website=Interfax |publisher=Interfax News Agency |access-date=June 11, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/putin-interview-highlights-biden-summit-ef635f91-43c6-4693-9787-f92f4231e174.html|title=Putin denies Russia is behind cyberattacks ahead of Biden summit|first=Zachary|last=Basu|date=June 14, 2021|work=Axios}}</ref> Russian criminal gangs were accused of the [[ransomware]] attacks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/09/politics/colonial-pipeline-cyberattack-restart-plan/index.html|title=Criminal group originating from Russia believed to be behind pipeline cyberattack|author=Geneva Sands and Arlette Saenz|website=CNN|date=9 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57338896|title=JBS: FBI says Russia-linked group hacked meat supplier|work=BBC News|date=June 3, 2021}}</ref>

Russia also has longstanding concerns about plans to [[Russia–NATO relations#Future enlargement plans of NATO to Ukraine and Georgia|expand the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation]]. Meeting with NATO allies in Brussels two days before the summit, Biden refuted an assertion by Ukrainian president [[Volodymyr Zelensky]] that NATO had agreed to admit Ukraine to the alliance. Ukrainian allegiance has been a persistently contentious issue between Russia and the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-joe-biden-china-russia-962ddadf219a8ff0412d662163a33d81|title=Biden rallies NATO support ahead of confrontation with Putin|date=June 14, 2021|website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Wingrove |first1=Josh |title=Biden Says Ukraine Has Work to Do on Corruption to Get Into NATO |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-14/biden-says-ukraine-has-work-to-do-on-corruption-to-get-into-nato |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=June 14, 2021}}</ref>

By the eve of the summit, Biden stood by his decision to not participate in a post-summit joint press conference with Putin, following the advice of Russian experts to avoid any attempt by Putin to appear as though he had gotten the better of Biden.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/15/politics/why-biden-and-putin-will-not-hold-a-joint-press-conference/index.html|title=Why Biden and Putin won't hold a joint press conference|author=Maegan Vazquez|website=CNN|date=15 June 2021 }}</ref>

===Venue===
[[File:Villa La Grange.jpg|thumb|The [[Parc La Grange|Villa La Grange]] in Geneva, the venue of the summit]]
The summit was held in the historic [[Parc La Grange|Villa la Grange]], an 18th-century building overlooking [[Lake Geneva]]. Swiss police and soldiers closed parklands surrounding the villa in the lead-up to the event, installing barricades and barbed wire.<ref name="walters"/>

==Agenda==
The summit was expected to set the direction of the relationship between Russia and the Biden administration. It was the first face-to-face meeting between the two men since Biden took office in January. However, officials from both countries downplayed chances beforehand of a dramatic breakthrough in relations.<ref name="Bos-Moh">{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/biden-putin-meet-geneva-june-16-2021-05-25/ |title=Biden, Putin to meet on June 16 amid disagreements |last1=Bose |first1=Nandita   |last2=Mohammed |first2=Arshad |date=May 25, 2021 |website=Reuters |publisher=Thomson Reuters |access-date=June 11, 2021}}</ref>

Of high importance on the anticipated agenda were talks on [[Nuclear disarmament|nuclear arms control]]. In June 2021, Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said that "What we are looking to do is for the two presidents to be able to send a clear signal to their teams on questions of [[strategic stability]] so that we can make progress on arms control and other nuclear areas to reduce tension and instability in that aspect of the relationship."<ref>{{cite news |title=At an arms control crossroads, Biden and Putin face choices |url=https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-joe-biden-europe-7993656455f5c0fc8600ac38285b21e7 |work=Associated Press |date=June 13, 2021}}</ref>

Biden said before the summit that he would raise the issue of [[Human rights in Russia|human rights]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-press-putin-respecting-human-rights-during-geneva-meeting-2021-05-30/ |title=Biden to press Putin on respecting human rights in Geneva |date=May 31, 2021 |website=Reuters |publisher=Thomson Reuters |access-date=June 11, 2021}}</ref> This was expected potentially to include the poisoning and imprisonment of Russian opposition leader [[Alexei Navalny]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57244860 |title=Biden-Putin summit: Awkward conversation looms in Geneva |last=Zurcher |first=Anthony |date=May 25, 2021 |website=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=June 13, 2021}}</ref> Cybersecurity was also expected to be discussed, as in recent years both Russia and the United States have repeatedly violated a 25-nation pact to not attack the infrastructure of other nations in peacetime or protect cybercriminals.<ref>{{cite news |title=Russia, U.S. and other countries reach new agreement against cyber hacking, even as attacks continue|last1=Nakashima |first1=Ellen |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/russia-us-un-cyber-norms/2021/06/12/9b608cd4-866b-11eb-bfdf-4d36dab83a6d_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 12, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=How Not To Prevent a Cyberwar With Russia |url=https://www.wired.com/story/russia-cyberwar-escalation-power-grid/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |date=June 18, 2019}}</ref>

Other topics for discussion were expected to include [[Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections|interference in elections]], and the [[Russo-Ukrainian War|sovereignty of Ukraine]].<ref name="Bos-Moh"/> On the basis of past phone calls between the two men, US officials planned for the talks to be prolonged.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/09/politics/joe-biden-leaves-for-international-trip/index.html |title=Biden takes lead role he's always craved in high-stakes first trip abroad as president |last1=Liptak |first1=Kevin |last2=Zeleny |first2=Jeff |last3=Collins |first3=Kaitlan |date=June 9, 2021 |website=CNN |access-date=June 13, 2021}}</ref>

Russia said it expected to discuss [[COVID-19 pandemic]], global conflicts, [[War on terror|terrorism]] and reducing the number of [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Putin says he hopes Geneva summit will help improve ties with the U.S. |url=https://fortune.com/2021/06/04/vladimir-putin-joe-biden-us-russia-relations-geneva-summit/ |work=Fortune |date=June 4, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Bos-Moh"/> The two leaders agreed in January to extend for five years the [[New START]] nuclear nonproliferation treaty.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-and-biden-confirm-extension-of-new-start-treaty/|title=Putin and Biden confirm extension of New START treaty|date=January 27, 2021|website=POLITICO}}</ref>

In the run-up to the summit, numerous local organizations announced demonstrations. The Geneva authorities refused to issue rally permits in several cases, which led to criticism, arguing that the refusal was a violation of fundamental rights at the political level.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.watson.ch/schweiz/romandie/237426193-gipfeltreffen-genf-kanton-wird-beschuldigt-grundrechte-zu-vergessen|title=Biden-Putin Gipfel: Warum Genf beschuldigt wird, die Meinungsfreiheit zu vergessen|date=June 16, 2021|website=[[Watson (newspaper)|Watson]]}}</ref>

==Delegations==
===United States delegation===
{{div col}}
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[President of the United States]], [[Joe Biden]]<ref name="US Delegation">{{cite news |last1=Zeleny |first1=Jeff |title=U.S. Delegation Taking Part in Expanded Talks |url=https://twitter.com/jeffzeleny/status/1405165917240188930 |work=CNN |access-date=June 16, 2021 |date=June 16, 2021}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|USA}} Secretary of State, [[Antony Blinken]]<ref name="US Delegation"/>
*{{flagicon|USA}} National Security Advisor, [[Jake Sullivan]]<ref name="US Delegation"/>
*{{flagicon|USA}} Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, [[Victoria Nuland]]<ref name="US Delegation"/>
*{{flagicon|USA}} United States Ambassador to Russia, [[John J. Sullivan (diplomat)|John Sullivan]]<ref name="US Delegation"/>
*{{flagicon|USA}} National Security Council Top Russia Advisor, Eric Green<ref name="US Delegation"/>
*{{flagicon|USA}} National Security Council Top Russia Advisor, Stergos Kaloudis<ref name="Kaloudis">{{cite news |last1=Lemire |first1=Jonathan |last2=Madhani |first2=Aamer |last3=Isachenkov |first3=Vladimer |title=First round of Biden-Putin talks is over |url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-europe-summits-health-coronavirus-pandemic-8126c24c511c258f4fc7e4f424bb8e70 |access-date=June 16, 2021 |work=Associated Press |date=June 16, 2021}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Russian delegation===
{{div col}}
* {{flagicon|RUS}} [[President of Russia|President of the Russian Federation]], [[Vladimir Putin]]<ref name="Delegation">{{cite news |last1=Chernova |first1=Anna|last2=Ullah |first2=Zahra |title=These are the Russian officials in the room with Putin for the second meeting |url=https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/biden-putin-meeting-geneva-updates-intl/index.html?tab=all |access-date=June 16, 2021 |work=CNN |date=June 16, 2021}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|RUS}} Russian Foreign Affairs Minister, [[Sergey Lavrov]]<ref name="Delegation"/>
* {{flagicon|RUS}} Russian Ambassador to the US, [[Anatoly Antonov]]<ref name="Delegation"/>
* {{flagicon|RUS}} Foreign Affairs Assistant to the President, [[Yuri Ushakov]]<ref name="Delegation"/>
* {{flagicon|RUS}} Kremlin Press Secretary, [[Dmitry Peskov]]<ref name="Delegation"/>
* {{flagicon|RUS}} Chief of the Russian General Staff, [[Valery Gerasimov]]<ref name="Delegation"/>
* {{flagicon|RUS}} Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, [[Sergei Ryabkov]]<ref name="Delegation"/>
* {{flagicon|RUS}} Deputy Kremlin Chief of Staff, [[Dmitry Kozak]]<ref name="Delegation"/>
* {{flagicon|RUS}} Special Representative of the Russian President for the Syrian Settlement, [[Alexander Lavrentyev]]<ref name="Delegation"/>

{{div col end}}

==Meeting sessions==
The talks lasted three and a half hours in total,<ref name="CBS01">{{cite web |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/video/biden-putin-summit-today-cybersecurity-human-rights-recap-analysis/#x |title=Biden and Putin discuss cybersecurity and human rights at Geneva summit |date=17 June 2021 |website=CBS News |publisher=ViacomCBS |author=<!--Not stated--> |access-date=17 June 2021}}</ref> which was less time than had been scheduled. Biden gave Putin a custom-made pair of sunglasses and crystal sculpture of a bison as gifts.<ref name="BBC01">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57504755 |title=Biden and Putin praise Geneva summit talks but discord remains |author=<!--Not stated-->  |date=17 June 2021 |website=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=17 June 2021}}</ref>

The first session was a small meeting with Blinken and Lavrov also attending. The second session included more aides.<ref name="Guardlive">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2021/jun/16/joe-biden-vladimir-putin-us-russia-summit-meeting-geneva-ukraine-live-updates?page=with:block-60ca70fd8f08bfe0ccb13ebe |title=Biden rejects Putin's 'ridiculous comparison' between Capitol rioters and Alexei Navalny at summit – live |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=17 June 2021 |website=The Guardian |access-date=17 June 2021}}</ref>

===Topics discussed===

An agreement was reached to begin dialogues about nuclear weapons controls and cybersecurity.<ref name="CBS01"/><ref name="Guardlive"/> Russia and the US will also return ambassadors to each other. There were no breakthroughs however on the issues of Ukraine and the imprisonment of Navalny.<ref name="BBC01"/>

==Followup==
===Press conferences===
After the summit, Biden told reporters he "warned" Putin about the consequences of any future ransomware attacks, and that "human rights violations" were undermining Russia's "international status".<ref name="CBS01"/>

At a separate press conference, Putin said the talks were constructive and without hostility but he criticized the United States for its "repression" against "peaceful protesters" that [[2021 United States Capitol attack|stormed]] the U.S. Capitol and said that he does not want movements like [[Black Lives Matter]] to gain traction in Russia, citing their "disorderly" conduct.<ref name="CBS01"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57366668|title = Putin sees 'double standard' in US Capitol riot prosecutions|work = BBC News|date = 5 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/558751-putin-compares-blm-to-opposition-groups-foreign-entities-in-russia|title=Putin compares BLM to opposition groups, foreign entities in Russia|date=16 June 2021}}</ref>

===Reactions===
The day after the summit, Putin praised the outcome and complimented Biden as an astute and shrewd negotiator.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-europe-summits-d86605a1c60be7c9ca856028030b961b|title=Putin praises summit result, calls Biden a tough negotiator|date=June 17, 2021|website=AP NEWS}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Switzerland|Russia|United States}}
* [[Détente]]
* [[Russia–United States relations]]
* [[2018 Russia–United States summit]]
* [[List of Russia–United States summits]]
* [[List of Soviet Union–United States summits]]
* [[Presidency of Joe Biden#Foreign affairs]]
* [[Russia under Vladimir Putin]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://theprobe.in/the-biden-putin-meet-in-geneva-is-a-spill-words-summit/ The Biden-Putin meet in Geneva is a spill-words summit] -   [[Chitra Subramaniam]]
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}

{{Joe Biden}}
{{Vladimir Putin}}
{{Russia–United States relations}}
{{Russian invasion of Ukraine}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russia-United States summit, 2021}}
[[Category:2021 conferences]]
[[Category:2021 in American politics]]
[[Category:2021 in international relations]]
[[Category:2021 in Russian politics|United States summit]]
[[Category:2021 in Switzerland]]
[[Category:21st century in Geneva]]
[[Category:21st-century diplomatic conferences]]
[[Category:Diplomatic conferences in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Events in Geneva]]
[[Category:June 2021 events in Europe]]
[[Category:Presidency of Joe Biden]]
[[Category:Russia–United States relations|2021 summit]]
[[Category:Russia–Switzerland relations|2021 United States summit]]
[[Category:Switzerland–United States relations]]
[[Category:Vladimir Putin]]
[[Category:Prelude to the Russian invasion of Ukraine]]