President Joe Biden is opening up about why he has opted not to hold a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin after their summit.
On Sunday, The Associated Pressā Jonathan Lemire noted that Putin has said that U.S.-Russia relations are at a low point. He also noted that Biden has said he would not be afraid to call out Russiaās malign actions and asked why he is not holding a joint press conference to confront Putin in public.
āYou have said previously and in the run-up to the summit that youād be unafraid to call out Russiaās disruptive actions like cyber hacks, Ukraine, election interference, but youāre not having a joint press conference with Putin. Why not take a chance to stand side-by-side with him and say those things to him with the world watching?ā Lemire asked.
Biden responded by agreeing that relations between to the countries are at a low-point.
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But said he was not going to hold a press conference with Putin because āthis is not a contest about who can do better in front of a press conference and try to embarrass each other. It is about making myself very clear what the conditions are to get a better relationship with Russia.ā
āThe bottom line is that I think the best way to deal with this is for he and I to meet, he and I have to have our discussion. I know you donāt doubt that Iāll be very straightforward with him about our concerns,ā he continued.
Finally, Biden said, āAnd I will make clear my view of how that meeting turned out, and heāll make clear from his perspective how it turned out. But I donāt want to get into being diverted by did they shake hands, who talked the most and the rest. Now he can say what he said the meeting was about. And I will say what I think the meeting was about. Thatās how Iām going to handle it.ā