Biden-Putin Summit Scheduled Next Month in Geneva, Switzerland

Estimated Meetings Around G7 Summit on 11th Next Month
Diverse Agendas Including Cyberattacks on Ukraine and Belarus Issues

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Reports have emerged that U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to hold their first face-to-face summit next month in Geneva, Switzerland, drawing attention as a potential signal of change in bilateral relations. From issues in Eastern Europe such as Ukraine and Belarus to strategic arms reduction and recent cyberattacks believed to be carried out by Russian hackers, all these various agendas are pressing. The world is watching to see if the two leaders can find a breakthrough through direct talks.

According to foreign media including CNN on the 24th (local time), the White House announced that Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor, and Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, met in Geneva, Switzerland on the same day. The White House stated that this contact was a preparatory meeting for the first summit between President Biden and President Putin. Sullivan and Patrushev issued a joint statement saying, "Both sides agreed that normalizing U.S.-Russia relations aligns with the interests of both countries and contributes to global predictability and stability."

The location and schedule of the summit have not yet been disclosed, but foreign media reported that Geneva, where the U.S. and Russian representatives met that day, is highly likely to be the venue. The Swiss daily Tages-Anzeiger cited sources saying, "Biden and Putin will soon meet in Geneva." According to the outlet, unusual cargo planes landed at Geneva Airport, presumed to be carrying equipment for summit preparations.

U.S. political media outlet Politico also reported that the two leaders are expected to meet in Geneva around the G7 summit scheduled to be held in London, UK on the 11th of next month, with the period between the 16th and 17th of next month, immediately after the G7 meeting, being the most likely.

The preparation for this summit was decided during the first high-level face-to-face meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the 19th, held in Reykjavik, Iceland, where they attended the Arctic Council. At this meeting, the two ministers discussed various agendas including Eastern European issues such as Ukraine and Belarus, cyberattacks on pipelines in the eastern U.S., and strategic arms reduction, and it was reported that they confirmed significant differences in their views.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.