Putin surprisingly arrives on time for meeting with Biden


President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have officially commenced their summit in Geneva — and, surprisingly, Putin was actually on time for it.
Putin arrived "almost exactly on time" for his meeting with Biden at 1:04 p.m. local time in Geneva on Wednesday, The Washington Post reports. The timing caught pundits' attention given that, as former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul noted, Putin "has a habit of showing up late for meetings."
The Russian president, for example, was 45 minutes late when he met with former President Donald Trump in Helsinki in 2018, and he was also three hours late for a meeting with then-Secretary of State John Kerry in 2013 and over four hours late for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2014, the Post reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
ABC News' Jonathan Karl took note of the timing of Putin's arrival on Wednesday, explaining, "I can't tell you how many events between the Americans and the Russians that I've gone to where Putin has kept the Americans waiting. It's a power play." But Karl pointed to Putin arriving on time for this summit as "one indication" that he "wants to turn the temperature down on this conflict."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Keep the fun going with these 7 subscription gift boxes
The Week Recommends Bring the party to their mailbox
-
Babies born using 3 people's DNA are without hereditary disease
Under the radar The method could eliminate mutations for future generations
-
Crossword: July 23, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year