Biden: "Will Raise Human Rights Issues When Meeting Putin"...Seemingly Aware of Opposition to the Summit (Comprehensive)

"Raised Human Rights Issues in Phone Call with Xi Jinping"
Consciousness of Criticism That Holding Summit Is "Lenient Toward Russia"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he will directly raise human rights issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the upcoming U.S.-Russia summit scheduled for next month. Accordingly, various human rights issues for which Russia has been condemned by the international community, such as unrest along the eastern border of Ukraine and the Russian government's crackdown on opposition politicians, are expected to become the main agenda items at this summit. Some analysts suggest that this statement reflects an awareness of the opposition to the summit being raised mainly by the Republican Party within U.S. political circles.

According to foreign media including CNN on the 30th (local time), President Biden said in a Memorial Day speech held at the Veterans Memorial Park in Newcastle, Delaware, "In two weeks, when I meet President Putin in Geneva, I will make it clear that the U.S. will not stand by while Russia violates human rights," adding, "I recently had a phone call lasting over two hours with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which I clearly emphasized that the U.S. must be a country that speaks out openly on global human rights issues."

He continued, "It is time to show everyone what kind of country the United States is." This remark is interpreted as a declaration that, following recent U.S. human rights offensives against China regarding issues in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Hong Kong democracy, a similar human rights offensive against Russia will begin around the time of this summit.

Earlier, the Biden administration announced sweeping sanctions against Russia on the 15th of last month, citing the Ukraine crisis, Russian cyberattacks against the U.S., and the attempted poisoning of Alexei Navalny. Under these sanctions, 10 Russian diplomats in the U.S. were expelled, and 16 institutions including the Russian Central Bank, Ministry of Finance, and sovereign wealth fund, as well as 16 high-ranking officials, were heavily targeted.

Some interpret this statement as a response to the opposition to the summit with Putin, mainly raised by the U.S. Republican Party. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported, "Criticism is emerging that the Biden administration is being lenient toward Russia, following the suspension of sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project between Germany and Russia and the announcement of the summit."

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