KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine — President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin began hours of face-to-face talks Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland. The highly anticipated summit comes at a time when both leaders say relations between their countries are at an all-time low, according to the Associated Press.
Relations between the U.S. and Russia were stronger in July of 2007, when President George W. Bush hosted Putin at the Bush family's compound at Walker's Point in Kennebunkport.
"Sometimes he says things I don't want to hear," Bush said of Putin during the visit. "But I know he's always telling me the truth."
At the time, United Nations Security Council members had been discussing a U.S. proposal for a new round of sanctions against Iran because of its refusal to stop enriching uranium. But the U.S., Russia, and the other permanent Security Council members had told Iran they would hold off if Tehran stopped expanding the program and returned to talks. Both leaders promised a united front against Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program.
During the meeting, Bush said he appreciated "the Russians' attitude" in the United Nations, adding that he and Putin recognized the need "to work together to send a common message." Putin predicted success on the matter and said there would be more talks.
Another notable takeaway from the visit were the presence of other Bush family members, including parents George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush. There was also a morning fishing trip, during which Putin was the only person to catch a fish. However, NEWS CENTER Maine reported that Putin called it "a team effort."
Now, in 2021, the Biden and Putin have traded sharp rhetoric for months. Biden has repeatedly called out Putin for malicious cyberattacks by Russian-based hackers on U.S. interests, for the jailing of Russia's foremost opposition leader and for interference in American elections.
Putin has reacted with whatabout-isms and denials — pointing to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to argue that the U.S. has no business lecturing on democratic norms and insisting that the Russian government hasn't been involved in any election interference or cyberattacks despite U.S. intelligence showing otherwise.