President Biden on Wednesday called Russia a “great power” and appeared to nod when asked if he trusts Russian President Vladimir Putin, sending the White House into damage control amid an awkward introduction to the leaders’ first meeting of Biden’s presidency.
The summit got off to a chaotic start Wednesday inside the stately Villa de la Grange in Geneva, Switzerland, as reporters and security got into a shoving match that drowned out most of Biden’s opening remarks and at some points appeared to confuse the 46th president.
The US president seemed to put Russia on equal footing with the US, saying in remarks that were not initially audible to TV audiences, “We’re two great powers” — before nodding after a reporter asked if he trusts the Russian leader.
White House communications director Kate Bedingfield promptly tweeted a cleanup: “It was a chaotic scrum with reporters shouting over each other. [Biden] was very clearly not responding to any one question, but nodding in acknowledgment to the press generally. He said just two days ago in his presser: ‘verify, then trust.'”
Professing to trust Putin would draw poor headlines for Biden on the heels of provocative Russian war games near Hawaii just hours before the two leaders shook hands, and crippling Russia-based cyberattacks on US industries in recent weeks.
Biden’s introductory remarks were interrupted by a loud squabble among reporters and security, according to reporters in the room.
A pool report from Anita Kumar of Politico said that when reporters were allowed in, “we were pushed and shoved by security officials and Russian media. Poolers tripped over cords.”
Biden’s initial remarks are the only ones he’s scheduled to deliver alongside Putin. The leaders will give solo press conferences after four to five hours of talks — reducing the risk of Biden falling into a PR trap laid by the ex-KGB agent, who has ruled Russia for two decades.
Swiss President Guy Parmelin played host and convened an introductory photo op outside the villa shortly after 1 p.m. local time.
When they sat down indoors, Putin thanked Biden for the invite to meet, saying, “The US and Russian relations have a lot of issues accumulated that require the highest-level meeting, and I hope that our meeting will be productive.”
Biden gave seemingly confused glances at the growing ruckus before him as he paused to allow for the translation of his reply.
“Thank you. As I said outside, I think it’s always better to meet face to face,” Biden responded, as his words were drowned out by noise.
Biden added in remarks not initially audible to TV audiences, “… to try to determine where we have mutual interest to cooperate and where we don’t establish a predictable and rational [inaudible]. We’re two great powers.”
Although reporters were not scheduled to ask questions, Biden appeared confused about the summit format, leaning to Secretary of State Tony Blinken to say, “I’m not sure how this will work. One at a time?” Someone said loudly that there would be no questions. Biden said “Oh!” after Blinken relayed word to him.
The largely inaudible introductory remarks continued a series of press-access mishaps on Biden’s first foreign trip. On Monday, the White House scrapped a similar “pool spray” at the start of Biden’s meeting with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, leaving frustrated US reporters dependent on Turkey’s government for information.
The Putin summit features two meetings: a smaller one between Biden and Putin, joined by translators, Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and then a larger group meeting featuring additional officials.
White House officials sought to lower expectations on Tuesday, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that they are “not expecting a big set of deliverables.” Still, Russian officials said they believe the summit may produce a joint statement — after US officials for weeks said Biden will seek to forge a new understanding with Putin that would allow for a more predictable US-Russia relationship.
Biden’s tone changed ahead of the meeting when he downplayed past descriptions of Putin as a “killer” who has “no soul” and told reporters Monday at the NATO summit in Belgium that Putin actually is a “worthy adversary” who is “bright” and “tough.”
The meeting closely follows the reported deployment of three F-22 raptors by US officials on Sunday in response to large Russian war games featuring ships, submarines and bomber aircraft about 300-500 miles off Hawaii.
The US jets did not intercept any Russian bombers because they didn’t get close enough to Hawaii during the maneuvers, which Russia called its largest Pacific exercise since the Cold War.
The war games were the latest in a series of Russian jabs at the US.
The talks are expected to address recent cyberattacks against the Colonial Pipeline, which caused US gas prices to spike as stations ran dry across the South, and JBS Foods, a major meat processor, by criminals suspected of living in Russia.
Lavrov said that Putin is prepared to flip the script on Biden if he brings up sensitive issues, such as human rights including the case of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who last year survived poisoning attempts. He said Putin was ready to advocate, in turn, for the “human rights” of Capitol rioters.
“We are following with interest the persecution of those persons who are accused of the riots on January 6 this year,” Lavrov said.
Biden in April offered Putin the summit during a call regarding US plans to expel diplomats and apply new sanctions as punishment for alleged Russian meddling in the 2020 election and the SolarWinds hack that impacted US government systems. Russia reciprocated by expelling US diplomats.
But Biden has faced criticism for lightening his approach toward Putin on several occasions.
As a presidential candidate, Biden repeatedly attacked President Donald Trump for not punishing Putin over unconfirmed intelligence that Russia paid bounties to the Taliban to kill US troops in Afghanistan. But Biden has been quiet on the issue since US spy agencies concluded in April they don’t have high confidence in the claim.
And Biden appeared to blink in April on a decision to send warships to the Black Sea in response to a Russian troop buildup on the borders of Ukraine. The Pentagon ordered a U-turn by two US destroyers.
The Biden administration last month also decided to waive sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline linking Russia to Germany, which the Trump administration feared would make US allies economically dependent on Russia.
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