Biden declined to conduct a joint press meeting with Putin.
In a surprising move, the U.S. President snubs a joint presser with Putin. The White House shied away from organizing a joint press conference between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, citing Donald Trump's rocky 2018 summit as the reason behind the decision, according to The New York Times.
After their conversations in Geneva, Putin and Biden will take on the media spotlight independently. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov justified the decision, stating it's "the U.S. President's practice." However, the Russian side had supported the idea of a joint presser.
The Times took a trip down memory lane to the previous Russia-U.S. summit in 2018, when Trump, then in office, challenged the findings of the U.S. intelligence investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In essence, Trump handed Putin a platform to spread untruths, enraging U.S. political circles.
The Times reports that the decision to forego a joint presser with Putin is meant to "deprive the Russian leader of an international pulpit akin to the one he had at the 2018 Helsinki summit."
Although no direct correlation between Biden's decision and Trump's performance at the 2018 summit is apparent, Trump's interactions with Putin have been marked by controversy. Biden's reluctance to engage with Putin might stem from a lack of faith in Putin's sincerity to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Trump's alleged support for Putin during the 2018 summit may have set a precedent for skepticism about direct engagement with Putin.
With the U.S. still supporting Ukraine and advocating for a cessation of hostilities against Russia, the diplomatic landscape remains complex and challenging. Trump, who has been involved in cease-fire talks, exemplifies the ongoing hurdles in negotiating with Russia. In light of these dynamics, Biden's decision to avoid a joint presser with Putin seems to echo a level of caution and wariness regarding Putin's intentions.
- The U.S. President's decision to avoid a joint presser with Putin is intended to prevent Putin from obtaining an international platform similar to the one he had at the 2018 Helsinki summit.
- During the 2018 summit, Trump's interactions with Putin were marked by controversy, and his alleged support for Putin might have set a precedent for skepticism about direct engagement with him.
- Given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the U.S.'s support for Ukraine, diplomatic relations with Russia remain complex and challenging.
- Trump's involvement in cease-fire talks shows the ongoing difficulties in negotiating with Russia.
- Biden's reluctance to engage with Putin might indicate a level of caution and wariness regarding Putin's intentions, echoing his awareness of the politics, policy-and-legislation, general-news, and war-and-conflicts associated with such interaction.
