President Putin press conference after summit with Biden

Islam News –  Putin held his own solo news conference moments ago, where he said US and Russian ambassadors will return to their diplomatic posts and that both countries will begin consultations on cybersecurity. He described the summit as “constructive” and “productive” on the whole.

The official meetings between both leaders today were broken into two rounds, one a smaller session and the second with larger delegations. The total run time came in shorter than the four to five hours officials initially predicted for the summit.

Putin replied to questions in the press conference : “I don’t think there is anything to discuss” on Ukraine joining NATO
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he had discussed Ukraine with US President Joe Biden.

As far as Ukraine joining NATO, “I don’t think there is anything to discuss there,” he said.

Putin was speaking in Geneva following his historic first face-to-face meeting with Biden as president.
US and Russian ambassadors will return to their posts, Putin says
The US and Russian ambassadors will return to their diplomatic posts and take up their functions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland.

The question of when that would happen is a “purely technical one,” he said.

The United States and Russia are going to begin consultations on cybersecurity, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday following his summit with US President Joe Biden.

“Both sides have to assume certain obligations there,” Putin said.

“We believe that the cyberspace is extraordinarily important. In general, and in particular for the US, and to the same extent for Russia,” Putin said in response to a question from CNN’s Matthew Chance.

Although Putin conceded that the United States was the victim of the greatest number of cyberattacks, he said that Russia was also a victim.
Putin: US and Russia to begin consultations on cybersecurity

“We encounter this every year. For example, one of the health systems in a very important part of Russia was attacked. So, it means that this work is being coordinated,” Putin said. “In the US, I don’t think that the US administration is particularly interested in organizing that or looking into it. All they do is to make insinuations. What we need is expert consultations between us. We agreed to that, in principle, Russia is prepared for that.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Alexey Navalny returned to Russia in order to be detained, knowing he had broken the law — again refusing to say the opposition activist’s name aloud.

“This man knew that he was breaking the law of Russia. He has been twice convicted,” Putin said.
Putin repeated the official Russian position that Navalny had violated bail conditions by going abroad while unconscious after apparent Novichok poisoning last year, and failing to check in with Russian legal officers as required.

“He consciously ignored the requirements of the law,” Putin said.

Putin continued: “The gentleman in question went abroad for treatment. As soon as he went to the hospital he showed his videos on the internet … He wanted consciously to break the law. He did exactly what he wanted to do. So what kind of discussion can we be having [about him]?”
Putin cites Black Lives Matter and Capitol riot when asked about crackdowns on Russian opposition
Asked Wednesday in Geneva about the Russian crackdown on Alexey Navalny’s organizations and supporters, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by talking about the Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the United States and the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

“We sympathize with what is happening in the states, but we do not wish that to happen in Russia,” Putin said.

Putin: Biden did not invite me to the White House
US President Joe Biden did not invite Vladimir Putin to the White House, the Russian president said Wednesday, saying the conditions have to be right for such a meeting.

Putin described the summit with Biden as “constructive.”

Putin again said he did not remember an encounter when Biden was vice-president a decade ago in which Biden reportedly said he looked into Putin’s eyes and saw no soul.
Putin: Summit was “productive, substantive, concrete”
After their talks were over, Russian President Vladimir Putin said his meeting with US President Joe Biden was “productive” on the whole.

“It was substantive, concrete and took place in an atmosphere that was aimed at achieving results,” he told reporters Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland.