After the historic summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on Wednesday, Biden waited for Putin to finish his press conference before holding another conference to respond to the Russian president's remarks. Biden stated that he confirmed to Putin Washington's rejection of Iran possessing nuclear weapons, noting that there is no substitute for face-to-face dialogue with the Russian president.
**"We Will Not Tolerate Any Interference"**
He described the discussions he had with Putin as "positive," but warned his Russian counterpart that Washington would not tolerate any interference in American elections. He said, "The tone of the entire meeting... was good and positive," adding, "I made it clear that we will not tolerate attempts to violate our democratic sovereignty or undermine our democratic elections, and we will respond if that occurs."
**"Putin Understands the Response"**
Biden spoke firmly, saying, "Putin understands what we will do if American sovereignty is attacked." He added, "Russia has been responded to regarding its attempts to interfere in American elections," pointing out, "I told Putin that Washington has enormous cyber capabilities... We will respond strongly to any cyber attack from Russia." He expressed confidence that his Russian counterpart does not want a new Cold War, warning him that cyber attacks should not target critical infrastructure.
**Handshaking Between Putin and Biden**
Biden also revealed that he did not issue "any threats" to Putin, but confirmed important matters, jokingly noting, "He is pleased with my description of him as a killer." He responded to Putin's criticisms of human rights in America, calling them absurd, and considered his reference to the "Black Lives Matter" movement in America also ridiculous.
**What Happens If Navalny Dies?**
The U.S. president also addressed the case of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, stating that if he were to die in prison, it would be devastating for Russia. Putin had previously announced in a press conference that they agreed to return their ambassadors, adding that the timing of their return is "a purely procedural issue." The two presidents held historic talks on Wednesday at an upscale villa in Geneva, where Biden emphasized that direct meetings are always better. He stressed the importance of face-to-face encounters in an attempt to reduce tensions between the two countries.
