During their meeting in Moscow, March 10, 2011, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with US Vice President Joe Biden. (Reuters photo)
US President Joe Biden has admitted that ties with Russia is at a "low point" during his administration tenure.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier told the US-based NBC News that "bilateral relationship... has deteriorated to its lowest point in recent years."
"I think hes right, its a low point, and it depends on how he responds to acting consistently with international norms, which in many cases he has not," Biden said at a press conference to mark the end of the G7 summit in the English county of Cornwall on Sunday.
Biden also accused Putin of interfering in the 2016 presidential election, allegations repeatedly denied by Moscow.
"I checked it out, so I had access to all the intelligence. He was engaged in those activities. I did respond and made it clear that Id respond again," Biden said.
Biden and Putin are set to meet in Geneva next week but will not have a joint news conference.
"The bottom line is that I think the best way to deal with this is for he and I to meet, for he and I to have our discussion - I know you dont doubt that Ill be very straightforward with him about our concerns," Biden said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agency TASS on Saturday that the Russian leader would speak to Kremlin pool reporters and other media outlets after the meeting.
Some US media outlets have suggested that no major new policy agreements are expected after the meeting
."I always found, and I dont mean to suggest the press should not know, but this is not a contest about who can do better in front of a press conference or try to embarrass each other," Biden told reporters. "Its about making myself very clear what the conditions are to get a better relationship are with Russia."
The meeting will take place following a NATO summit in Belgium, the second part of the US presidents first foreign trip.
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/23007
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