Biden and Russia's Putin are reportedly aiming to hold 1st summit in Geneva in June
President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are working toward holding their first presidential summit in Geneva in June, during Biden's first trip abroad as president, U.S. officials tell The Associated Press. National security adviser Jake Sullivan is meeting in Geneva with his Russian counterpart, Nikolay Patrushev, to prepare for a potential summit, and the White House and Kremlin are eyeing June 15-16. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Monday that Putin is generally inclined to accept Biden's invitation, Politico reports.
The U.S. and Russia are at loggerheads over suspected Russian hacking of U.S. companies, election interference, and, most recently, its support of Belarus forcibly grounding a commercial jetliner so it could arrest a dissident journalist on board. Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met last week in Iceland, where Lavrov proposed a new U.S.-Russia strategic dialogue. Blinken has said the Biden administration wants a "predictable, stable relationship" with Moscow.
Geneva, a Cold War staple for diplomacy and intrigue, last hosted a summit between U.S. and Russian leaders in 1985, when Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev first met face-to-face. Switzerland is neutral territory and not part of NATO, making it a palatable choice for Russia.
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
How climate change is affecting Christmas traditionsThe Explainer There may be a slim chance of future white Christmases
-
The MAGA civil war takes center stage at the Turning Point USA conferenceIN THE SPOTLIGHT ‘Americafest 2025′ was a who’s who of right-wing heavyweights eager to settle scores and lay claim to the future of MAGA
-
The 8 best drama movies of 2025the week recommends Nuclear war, dictatorship and the summer of 2020 highlight the most important and memorable films of 2025
-
Israel approves new West Bank settlementsSpeed Read The ‘Israeli onslaught has all but vanquished a free Palestinian existence in the West Bank’
-
Russia’s ‘weird’ campaign to boost its birth rateUnder the Radar Demographic crisis spurs lawmakers to take increasingly desperate measures
-
US offers Ukraine NATO-like security pact, with caveatsSpeed Read The Trump administration has offered Ukraine security guarantees similar to those it would receive from NATO
-
Hong Kong court convicts democracy advocate LaiSpeed Read Former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was convicted in a landmark national security trial
-
Australia weighs new gun laws after antisemitic attackSpeed Read A father and son opened fire on Jewish families at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing at least 15
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Europe sets 2027 deadline to wean itself from Russian gasIN THE SPOTLIGHT As negotiators attempt to end Russia’s yearslong Ukraine invasion, lawmakers across the EU agree to uncouple gas consumption from Moscow’s petrochemical infrastructure
-
Benin thwarts coup attemptSpeed Read President Patrice Talon condemned an attempted coup that was foiled by the West African country’s army
