Putin praises 1st meeting with Biden as 'constructive', 'substantive'

Putin praises 1st meeting with Biden as
# 17 June 2021 01:03 (UTC +04:00)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his meeting on Wednesday with his US counterpart had been "constructive" and "substantive," APA reports quoting Anadolu Agency

At a news conference in Geneva following the meeting, Putin said Joe Biden and he discussed issues of strategic stability, global security, regional conflicts, trade and cooperation in Arctic.

He also announced that the two countries had agreed on returning their respective ambassadors to each other's capitals. Russia's Anatoly Antonov, summoned after Biden's "killer" remarks, is to return to Washington, while John Sullivan will be back in Moscow.

As for the remarks, Putin said the US president had explained the comment during a phone call, adding that he had been "satisfied" with the explanation.

In addition, the Russian Foreign Ministry and US State Department are to start consultations on the entire range of diplomatic problems between the two countries.

"The Foreign Ministry and the State Department are beginning consultations on the entire complex on the diplomatic track. It seemed to me that both sides are determined to look for solutions," Putin said.

The Russian president stressed that Moscow and Washington bear a "particular responsibility" for global stability as the two biggest nuclear states.

He praised as "responsible" Biden's decision to expand the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), as well as his further steps in arms control that he said will be discussed by the diplomatic services of the two countries with the involvement of related bodies.

Another area where Russia and the US agreed to hold additional consultations is cybersecurity, he said.

Noting that the two leaders had their differences on many topics, Putin said that nonetheless "there was a desire from both sides to understand each other and look for solutions."

Ukraine's conflict was discussed "briefly," during which the US president confirmed that the solutions were within the Minsk Agreement, Putin said.

Asked about Ukraine's possible admission to the NATO alliance, Putin said "there is nothing to talk about here."

As for Russia's "obligations" regarding Ukraine, he said Moscow only had the obligation to contribute to the implementation of the Minsk Agreement, which he accused Kyiv of trying to turn upside down by starting from the last clauses before the first.

The Russian president also defended troop deployments near Ukraine's borders, saying they were on Russian soil and that Moscow has right to hold military exercises anywhere on its territory.

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