'Two great powers': Biden, Putin plunge into hours of talks

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By AAMER MADHANI, JONATHAN LEMIRE and VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV

GENEVA (AP) — With stern expressions and polite words before the cameras, President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin plunged into hours of face-to-face talks Wednesday at a lush lakeside Swiss mansion, a highly anticipated summit at a time when both leaders say relations between their countries are at an all-time low.

Biden called it a discussion between “two great powers” and said it was “always better to meet face to face.” Putin said he hoped the talks would be “productive.”

The meeting in a book-lined room had a somewhat awkward beginning — both men appeared to avoid looking directly at each other during a brief and chaotic photo opportunity before a scrum of jostling reporters.

Biden nodded when a reporter asked if Putin could be trusted, but the White House quickly sent out a tweet insisting that the president was “very clearly not responding to any one question, but nodding in acknowledgment to the press generally.”



President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, arrive to meet at the 'Villa la Grange', Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Geneva, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/biden-putin-summit-23e73d69f1a7ca338850736a9cf032f5

[ananda]

1. Boy, that body language is something.

Biden is in charge.

[vanlassie]

2. I'm waiting for Biden to start calling Putin "Jack."

[Jack from Charlotte]

5. I'd like to hear someone ask,.......

"Hey, Joe. Where'd you get the midget?"

[sarisataka]

7. Really?

[OneCrazyDiamond]

11. I assume you don't know about the slur.

https://www.lpaonline.org/the-m-word

Putin is trash. The little people are not.

[Bev54]

3. Seems the talks are already over.

Several hours before expected

[Rebl2]

12. That's what

I heard too. Meeting didn’t last as long as they expected.

[Butterflylady]

4. Putin is short, thought he was taller.

[Bayard]

6. He is small in many ways......

[paleotn]

9. No, he's short. Quite short.

That explains a lot I think.

[paleotn]

8. No, one great power.....

and a gas station masquerading as a country, propped up by nuclear weapons. Take away their nukes and they're an oversized Romania.

[BigmanPigman]

13. General McCaffrey said the same thing on MSNBC last night.

He was saying that Russia's economy is the size of CA and the only thing they have are nuclear weapons but that is a non issue these days. With oil as their only main export, they will fight tooth and nail to keep it flowing. Putin is a Kleptocrat and Biden isn't a Kleptocrat wannabe, like tRump. Biden will handle him with confidence.

[keithbvadu2]

10. Trump's half of the same meetings was:::: Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir!

Trump's half of the same meetings was:::: Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir! Yes, Sir!

[Kid Berwyn]

14. "Two coats of wax, Mr. Putin."