Biden and Putin Open Dialogue Channel but Fail to Narrow Gap

3-Hour First Meeting Between US and Russia Leaders
Foreign Media Skeptical
Differences Remain on Hacking and Human Rights Issues

[Asia Economy Reporters Yujin Cho and Suhwan Kim] On the 16th (local time), the first summit between the United States and Russia since U.S. President Joe Biden's inauguration concluded. Since Biden took office in January, the two leaders have been in continuous conflict, but each described the meeting as "productive" and "constructive," respectively. However, foreign media responded with skepticism. Although the dialogue was initiated, sensitive issues such as cybercrime and human rights saw no active approach or advanced discussions, only reaffirming the gaps between the two sides.

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◇ Summit Ends After 3 Hours = The summit, which began at 1:30 p.m. in Geneva, Switzerland, ended after about three hours. The meeting, initially expected to last four to five hours, ending earlier than anticipated highlights the limitations of this summit. While the dialogue was opened, the two sides failed to reach joint agreements on sensitive matters.

The Washington Post (WP) pointed out, "Both sides merely conveyed their own opinions, and there was no time for discussions to reconcile differences." The Associated Press (AP) also assessed, "Since Biden's inauguration in January, tensions have escalated, and this summit only confirmed the enormous gaps between the two sides." The New York Times (NYT) stated, "Differences between the two countries regarding cybercrime and human rights issues remain unresolved," adding, "Tensions between the two nations are clear."

In a separate press conference after the summit, President Biden mentioned Alexei Navalny, a political opponent of President Putin who is currently imprisoned, warning that "(if he dies) it would be fatal for Russia." However, President Putin maintained that Navalny's arrest was justified and showed no progress in his stance. Instead, Putin counterattacked by referring to the early-year U.S. Capitol riot, arguing that the protesters charged by the U.S. also committed illegal acts and were lawfully detained.

Regarding recent allegations of Russian cyberattacks, both countries only made general statements about beginning consultations on cybersecurity. The NYT analyzed, "Putin's strong denial of Russia's involvement in cyberattacks against the U.S., along with his rebuttal on human rights issues, indicates many areas where the two leaders failed to find common ground."

Nonetheless, some positive evaluations emerged regarding the shift from confrontation to dialogue mode in U.S.-Russia relations. During this summit, both sides agreed to reinstate their ambassadors who had been recalled. The British Guardian noted that relations between the two countries were at their worst before the summit and acknowledged some achievements in opening the door to dialogue. The Guardian reported, "There were constructive outcomes in this summit, such as the return to dialogue," and "Consultations proceeded on areas where mutual agreement was possible."

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◇ Did Putin Only Gain Confidence? = One of the main points of interest in this summit was the level at which President Biden would address Russian issues.

CNN commented, "The friendly exchanges between the two sides merely confirmed that President Putin can continue to pursue his political agenda without facing U.S. sanctions," and "Putin got exactly what he wanted from this summit."

By showing that President Putin, who has had sharp conflicts with the U.S., could engage in dialogue on equal footing with President Biden, it was confirmed that Putin can continue to execute his agenda without changing in the way the U.S. desires.

There was also criticism that President Biden even elevated Russia by referring to the U.S. and Russia as "two great powers." WP explained, "Former President Barack Obama referred to Russia as a 'regional power' during the annexation of Crimea, thereby lowering Russia's status," but "Biden's remarks appear to elevate Russia once again." The two sides also exchanged gifts.

Judging from the joint statement alone, the summit did not achieve satisfactory results contrary to the claims of both sides. Although a joint statement on strategic stability to prevent nuclear war was adopted, it was merely a declarative reaffirmation of the existing principle that "neither country can win a nuclear war and must never fight one."

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