In fact, 10 years ago, Biden, who was still the Vice President of the United States, had a face-to-face meeting with Putin, then Russian Prime Minister, in Moscow. At that time, Biden stated that the United States hoped to “reset” US-Russian relations in a way that reflects the common interests of the two countries.

Now, the two will sit at the negotiating table again. But this time, it seems “impossible” for the two sides to make a fundamental breakthrough in the low-point Russia-US relationship through just a summit of leaders.

Data map: On March 10, 2011, Putin and Biden met in Moscow, Russia.

“Old rivals” confront again,

These issues will be put on the negotiating table…

At 13:00 on June 16th, Geneva time (19:00 Beijing time), the Russian-US leaders summit will officially begin.

According to the Russian President’s Assistant Ushakov, Putin and Biden’s talks will consist of a small-scale talk and two large-scale talks, during which there will be a coffee break.

As for how long the talks will last, Ushakov said, “It all depends on the situation of the discussion, the mood of the two presidents, and what issues will take longer than we planned.”

A source familiar with the preparations for the US-Russia summit said that the negotiations are planned to last for nearly five hours.

In addition, according to the warm-up and release of the United States and Russia, the topics of this meeting are very broad, involving bilateral relations, strategic stability, arms control, conflict mediation in hotspots, counter-terrorism, new crown epidemic, network security, human rights, environmental protection and other fields.

Data map: US President Biden.

The meeting at the lowest point of US-Russian relations,

“Tune the door” dropped again and again

On the eve of the summit, U.S.-Russian relations continued to be tense, and sanctions and war of words became almost normal. Putin and Biden have said recently that US-Russian relations are at the “lowest point in recent years.”

Zhang Hong, a researcher at the Institute of Russian, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in an interview with a reporter from Chinanews.com that US-Russian relations are in a “more dangerous situation”, which is the main reason for the holding of the “Publish Meeting.”

Putin has said that the purpose of this meeting is to improve bilateral relations; Biden also said that the meeting is aimed at seeking “stability” and “predictability” in the relationship between the two parties. However, the United States and Russia continued to release negative messages before the summit.

In response, Sun Chenghao, an assistant researcher at the U.S. Institute of the China Institute of Modern International Relations, explained that for the United States, the “anti-Russian and hate-Russian” sentiment in the United States has not dissipated, although Biden does not have the burden of former President Trump’s “Russian gate” , But after he came to power, including accusing Russia of interfering in the U.S. election, accusing Russia of participating in hacker attacks on the United States, etc., “there is no way for Biden to show too soft diplomacy to Russia.”

“Russia is actually the same,” Sun Chenghao said. Because the United States has always imposed pressure on Russia’s diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions, it is impossible to ease the United States under Russia’s current governance model. Russia’s domestic politics It also determines that Putin cannot overly show favor to Biden.

However, many parties predict that the United States and Russia will reach cooperation on non-core interests, including climate change issues and the fight against the new crown epidemic. Zhang Hong said, “The United States and Russia may reach a certain consensus in these areas. I think it is the main purpose of this meeting to create or resume such a dialogue through non-core issues.”

Data map: Russian President Putin.

See Putin at the last stop of the European trip,

Biden is cheering himself up?

The meeting between Biden and Putin in Geneva was the last stop of Biden’s European tour. Prior to this, he has attended the G7 summit, NATO summit and the US-Europe summit.

In Zhang Hong’s view, “allies first, competitors second”, this order is correct.

“Through the three summits, Biden and Putin will meet with strong alliance diplomacy support. In fact, the United States represents the Western camp and the Russian dialogue, so that it is in regional security issues, regional economic cooperation issues, ideological and In terms of values, there is at least the so-called “voice of the alliance”, which transcends the United States itself and partially represents the European position.” Zhang Hong pointed out.

Sun Chenghao also said that such an itinerary was “well-designed.” If Biden had contact with Putin in advance, first of all he had no bottom; second, Biden was also worried that European allies would think that the United States and Russia would adopt this kind of “over-the-top diplomacy” approach to reach some arrangements that are not conducive to Europe. It is also unfavorable to consolidate transatlantic relations.

“Dialogue” is the best result?

Russia and the United States may find it difficult to achieve breakthroughs on key issues

As early as 1985, the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union held a summit in Geneva, and that meeting was regarded as a turning point for the two countries to walk out of the Cold War. However, the outside world is generally not optimistic about the outcome of this summit.

Zhang Hong pointed out that, first of all, the United States and Russia have major differences over the Navaline incident, which is a “red line” belonging to Russia. Russia has always objected to the direct interference of the United States and the West in Russia’s internal democratic and political affairs. Secondly, there is the “security red line.” The frequent activities and forward deployments of NATO countries headed by the United States in the Balkan Peninsula and the Black Sea region threaten the security of western Russia.

Sun Chenghao also mentioned a more specific contradiction between the United States and Russia-the issue of sanctions. What Russia is most concerned about economically is when the United States can lift the sanctions. But first, the “anti-Russian hatred” sentiment in the United States is soaring. It is impossible for Congress to lift sanctions against Russia in this state, and the Biden administration has at least not much bargaining chip in sanctions.

In general, experts predict that this summit will hardly allow both parties to achieve breakthroughs on key issues.

Sun Chenghao pointed out that there will be some partial improvements in the atmosphere of the United States and Russia; this meeting will allow everyone to have “a more stable expectation” for the relationship between the United States and Russia. Zhang Hong said that although the summit cannot achieve a breakthrough, it does not mean that the United States and Russia will not be able to achieve regular dialogue in the future. Once the regular mechanism of such a major power is restored, it will be very beneficial to Russia and will help Russia break the West’s diplomatic isolation.

“The two leaders will be arguing about many things, but the dialogue will continue.” Alexander Fushbo, the ambassador to Russia in the administration of former US President George W. Bush, pointed out that this is “the best one can think of.” Happening”. (Finish)

Just now, a new round of financial sanctions imposed by the United States on Russia formally came into effect. Since June 14, U.S. companies have been prohibited from buying Russian government bonds issued for the first time, and Russian government bonds issued in euros have also been included in the prohibition of buying, which was once called the “most powerful” punitive measure in the financial market.

Russia’s counterattack was also unrelenting. The Russian Ministry of Finance announced that it would change the structure of the National Wealth Fund in the next month, reducing the share of the US dollar to zero, and Russia almost completely emptied the US long-term national debt.

The timing of this round of competition between the two sides in the financial market is very sensitive. On June 16, local time, US President Biden and Russian President Putin will meet in Geneva, Switzerland for a US-Russian summit. On the eve of the summit, the capitals of the two parties have already released “ruthless words.” Therefore, the market expects that this meeting will be the fiercest political game.

The “most powerful” financial sanctions?The U.S. puts pressure on Russia again

According to CCTV News, since June 14, US financial sanctions against Russia have come into effect. The U.S. government prohibits domestic companies from buying Russian government bonds (in rubles) that are issued for the first time. Russian government bonds issued in euros are also included in the prohibition. However, U.S. companies are allowed to trade Russian government bonds on the secondary market.

So, how much impact will this punitive measure, regarded by the financial market as “the most powerful”, have on the Russian economy?

First, let’s look at the scale of Russian national debt issuance. According to the latest data from the Audit Office of the Russian Federation, as of the first quarter of 2021, Russian national debt has increased by 741.3 billion rubles (approximately RMB 64.4 billion) from the previous quarter. The total scale of Russian debt is as high as 19.7 trillion rubles (about 1.71 trillion yuan), accounting for 17% of Russia’s GDP.

At present, the government bonds of the Russian Federation held by foreign investors are about 2.7989 billion rubles, accounting for about 14% of the total size of Russian bonds, but this part of the government bonds are stocks that are normally traded in the secondary market and are not subject to the US sanctions. limit.

In addition, looking at the issuance of Russian government bonds, Gehrman Greev, President of the Russian Federal Reserve Bank, made it clear that Russia’s related bond issuance plan will be completed as scheduled. According to the Russian Ministry of Finance, starting from June 16, Russia will release its first national debt to the market, and will issue three national debts worth 500 billion rubles on the same day.

The British analyst firm Oxford Economics believes that because the United States only prohibits the purchase of Russian government bonds in the primary market, the sanctions have limited impact on the Russian government bond market, and are more symbolic. If sanctions (the United States against Russia) affect transactions in the secondary market, the threat effect will be very violent.

Faced with the entry into force of US financial sanctions, Russian Finance Minister Siluanov also strongly stated that Russian government bonds will still maintain a high demand rate and that sanctions will only cause losses to US companies.

In fact, this financial sanctions policy began in mid-April this year, when the U.S. government announced a series of measures to sanction Russia, including prohibiting U.S. companies from buying Russian initial treasury bonds, but they can buy and sell Russian treasury bonds on the secondary market. Effective from June 14, 2021.

At that time, the reasons for the sanctions given by the United States were that Russia interfered in the U.S. election, hacked the system, and a series of “hostile acts.” In addition to prohibiting U.S. companies from buying Russian government bonds, it also expelled 10 Russian diplomats. The U.S. Treasury Department Thirty-two Russian entities and individuals were sanctioned.

Fight back! Russia is going to dump the U.S. dollar and U.S. debt?

Russia has already begun to “strike back” against the US financial restrictions. On June 3, local time, Russian Finance Minister Siluanov stated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that the Russian Ministry of Finance will change the structure of the State Wealth Fund within one month, in which the share of the US dollar will be reduced to zero and the share of the British pound will be reduced. At 5%, the yen will remain at 5%, the euro will grow to 40%, the renminbi will grow to 30%, and gold will account for 20%.

It is reported that the Russian National Wealth Fund was established to support the Russian pension system. Its funds can also be used to make up for the budget deficit during the crisis. It has now become an important part of the Russian Federation’s budget assets.

According to data disclosed on the official website of the Russian Ministry of Finance, as of May 1 this year, the total assets of the fund reached 185.87 billion US dollars, or 13.82 trillion rubles (equivalent to RMB 1.2 trillion), accounting for 12% of Russia’s GDP.

As of early May, the fund’s liquid assets were worth approximately US$119 billion, of which one-third (approximately US$41.5 billion) were in US dollars. This means that in the next month, the Russian National Wealth Fund will substantially sell US dollars.

On February 24 this year, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation announced that it would include the RMB and the Japanese Yen in the National Wealth Fund. The two currencies accounted for 15% and 5% of the fund’s foreign exchange structure, respectively. At the same time, the share of the US dollar and the euro both fell to 35%, while the share of the British pound remained unchanged at 10%.

Russian President Press Secretary Peskov said in response to a question about the adjustment of the investment structure of the National Wealth Fund that de-dollarization is a long-term process visible to the naked eye. Not only Russia is de-dollarizing, but many countries in the world are also doing similar things. , Because these countries are beginning to worry about the reliability of the major foreign exchange reserve currencies.

Before March 2018, the U.S. dollar has been one of the most important foreign exchange reserves of the Russian Central Bank, accounting for as high as 43%-48%. Since then, as the United States has tightened sanctions against Russian companies and citizens, in order to minimize the risk of sanctions, the Central Bank of Russia began to continuously reduce the proportion of U.S. dollars in foreign exchange reserves. As of the end of 2020, U.S. dollars and U.S. dollar assets are in Russia’s international The share of reserves has dropped to 21.2%, and the share of gold and RMB has increased to 23.3% and 12.8%.

While Russia is selling the U.S. dollar, it is also reducing its holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds in a “clearing-out” manner. According to the latest data released by the US Treasury Department, in February this year, Russia almost completely emptied long-term US Treasury bonds (only US$306 million left), and reduced its holdings of US debt by US$389 million that month, and the final position dropped to US$5.8 billion. Compared with Russia’s highest holding of US debt, the cumulative sell-off ratio reached 94%.

Biden and Putin are about to meet, how to talk?

Behind the secret rivalry between the United States and Russia may be for the upcoming summit of US-Russian leaders.

According to the official website of the White House, US President Biden will meet with Russian President Putin in Geneva, Switzerland on June 16, local time.

At this point, Biden is already in Europe and has just finished attending the G7 summit. After three days of dialogue and consultation, the leaders of the G7 announced that they have reached a certain consensus on fighting the epidemic, rebuilding the economy, trade reform, and green transformation. It will be announced in the form of a summit communiqué.

China has been mentioned many times in the G7 Communiqué, and it even touched on issues such as Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Subsequently, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom said in response to reporters that the G7 Communiqué published distorted and reversed remarks on Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other issues, deliberately slandered China, and arbitrarily interfered in China’s internal affairs. The serious violation of the basic norms of international relations has further exposed the sinister intentions of a few countries such as the United States. We are strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed to this.

India, which is plagued by the epidemic, is also making small calculations. The Global Times quoted foreign media reports that India may join the G7 infrastructure plan, which aims to provide a so-called “value-driven, high-standard, and transparent” partnership against China. The Belt and Road Initiative.

If the G7 summit is a closed-door game of tongue war, then the probability that the US-Russian summit on June 16 will not make Biden so easy, and the meeting between Biden and Putin will likely be The fiercest political game.

In fact, from the series of signals released by the United States and Russia before the meeting, a strong smell of gunpowder can be smelled.

On June 6, Biden’s signed article in The Washington Post stated that the United States does not seek to conflict with Russia, but will not hesitate to respond to Russia’s harmful activities in the future. When meeting with Putin, he will emphasize again The United States, Europe, and like-minded democracies support the promise of human rights and dignity.

According to CCTV News, on June 4, local time, Russian President Putin spoke at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Speaking of the upcoming summit of Russian-US leaders, he said that Russian-US relations are at a very low level, and he will work with US President Biden to find solutions to the problems of bilateral relations, and will discuss strategic stability, arms reduction, and the new crown epidemic. And other issues.

Putin pointed out that Russia and the United States have no differences, but the United States wants to contain Russia’s development. He said that the relationship between Russia and the United States has largely become a bargaining chip for the United States to govern its internal affairs, and hopes that this situation will end at some point.

In addition to the mutual temptation of the two heads of state on the verbal level, the wrestling of military forces between the United States and Russia has also become more frequent. On June 11, the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the US Navy’s “Labourn” guided-missile destroyer had entered the Black Sea and the Russian Black Sea Fleet had begun to monitor it.

On the same day, the U.S. Pentagon suddenly announced that it would allocate 150 million U.S. dollars in security assistance to Ukraine to help Ukraine maintain its territorial integrity and improve its coordination with NATO. On the Russian side, the Russian Navy held the largest military exercise after the collapse of the Soviet Union to show off its muscles.

From this point of view, the secret rivalry between the US and Russia on the financial and military levels may be to increase the weight of the negotiations at the upcoming US-Russian leadership summit.

On June 14, local time, the Russian President’s website released Putin’s interview with NBC TV in the United States.

When answering questions about Sino-Russian relations, Putin said that the Sino-Russian strategic partnership has reached the highest level in history in recent years, and the two sides have maintained a high degree of trust and cooperation in political, economic, scientific and technological fields.

Putin emphasized, “We don’t think China is a threat to us. It is a friendly country. It does not declare us an enemy like the United States.” China’s development is obvious to all. China is a large and powerful country with a population of nearly 1.5 billion. In terms of purchasing power parity, China’s economy has surpassed that of the United States. Last year, China was Europe’s largest trading partner and the United States ranked second. But China’s strength will not worry Russia. One of the reasons is that Russia’s defense capabilities are at a very high level, but the most important thing is that the nature and level of Sino-Russian relations determines that Russia will not be wary of China’s development.

Putin also pointed out on the Xinjiang issue that he himself had the opportunity to meet with Uyghur representatives during his visit to China. He heard firsthand that the people generally welcome the Chinese government’s ethnic policies and affirmed that the Chinese government has done a lot of practical things for people living in Xinjiang in the economic and cultural fields.

Editor Zhou Yuhua of this issue

The aircraft was built by the Voronezh Aircraft Production Association. Luxury meeting room on the plane. Bedroom with exquisite furniture. The conference table is decorated with gold. Bar and fully equipped kitchen. It is known that Putin spends more time working on flights than all his predecessors. The “Flying Kremlin” can reach speeds of 900 km/h. This state-of-the-art aircraft also possesses the optimal communication system to command troops in combat. Another meeting room on the plane is worth more than $550 million. In-flight bathroom with gold-plated toilet seat. Interior in neoclassical style. Luxury table and chairs on Ilyushin Il-96-300 aircraft exclusively for the president. The aircraft is equipped with a fully equipped gym. The Russian leader took a plane to La Grange Villa located on Lake Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland to meet his counterpart Joe Biden at the Russia-US summit. Earlier, the US President shared Putin as a “worthy opponent” at a press conference after the NATO summit.

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: RT President Joe Biden arrived in the UK on Wednesday, June 9, ahead of a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday and the start of the G7 summit on Friday. His schedule in the coming days is quite busy. From the G7 in Cornwall (UK), Mr. Biden will travel to Brussels (Belgium) to attend the NATO summit, then to Switzerland to meet his Russian counterpart on June 16. Speaking Wednesday to US forces in Suffolk (UK), Mr Biden strongly announced he would meet with President Putin to “tell him what I want him to know”. Mr Biden’s tough statement received a standing ovation from the troops attending the event, and was described by many commentators as a “warning”. Mr Biden later said he wanted a “stable, predictable” relationship with Russia, built on the “responsibility” shouldered by both powers. “But I have made it clear that the United States will respond strongly if the Russian government engages in harmful activities,” Biden added. “I will inform him that if Russia violates the sovereignty of democracies, in America, Europe and elsewhere, they will have to bear the consequences.” Nearly three years after American commentators criticized former President Donald Trump for being too soft on Putin during a meeting in Helsinki (Finland), lawmakers from both parties expect Biden to take a tough stance. stronger in the next meeting. Biden has previously declared that Putin is a “murderer” and promised during the campaign that he would make Putin “pay” for alleged election interference. Meanwhile, Mr Putin described Mr Biden as “an experienced and careful man” who has devoted his life to politics. The Russian President hopes that these qualities of his American counterpart will have a positive impact on the upcoming negotiations. But Putin also said that Moscow “does not expect any breakthrough in Russian-American relations”. Although Biden’s allies often portray the president as being tough on Putin, in reality, Biden still gave his Russian counterpart a huge opportunity after taking office, by wading orders. sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, facilitating the completion of the project connecting Russian natural gas fields with European consumers. Former President Donald Trump, despite his “soft” accusations against Russia, has stalled the project for more than a year with sanctions.

“Sometimes people also advise Putin not to take adventurous trips, but he is very adamant about these hobbies,” Peskov said when asked if people were trying to stop the president. Putin does not take dangerous trips, such as sailing with whales in Kamchatka or flying with Siberian Cranes. According to experts, the Russian President likes to go on adventure tours to show people that he is still healthy and full of life. (Photo: RIA) The above sharing of Mr. Peskov was broadcast on Russia 1 TV channel in the program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin” by Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin. In addition, according to Peskov, President Putin really loves Siberia, so he likes to have a few days of quiet rest there. “On the other hand, he also went to the Far East many times, he loved Sochi, he loved Krasnaya Polyana, he loved Crimea. In general, Putin is passionate about different lands, but it is true that he likes to have a few quiet days alone in Siberia, this is the truth,” Peskov said. Earlier, at the end of March, President Putin had a weekend in Siberia with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The two also rode in a tracked off-road vehicle, in which Putin drove and Shoigu sat next to him in the passenger seat, and then walked through the Taiga forest. The head of the Russian Defense Ministry also showed the president his wood workshop, where Shoigu carves various works from dried tree stumps. One of the Russian leader’s most prominent travels was a two-day trip to Siberia in August 2017. After that, the Kremlin boss went to the Taiga forest, where he fished, swam, traveled along the river in motorboats, hiked through the mountains, sunbathed and swam. According to a spokesman for the Russian president, Putin dived for two hours in a cold lake in Siberia to hunt a large milkfish. In 2014, on his birthday, Putin took a day off for the first time and flew to the Siberian taiga. On that day, he walked almost 9 km through the mountains. In 2019, a few days before his 67th birthday, Putin treated himself to a vacation in the taiga. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, Putin will spend his birthday with his family and loved ones. However, before that, he had “rewarded” himself a trip to Siberia to enjoy “nature and Russian autumn”. According to RT, Putin’s companion is Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and a number of senior officials. Together they climbed mountains, picked mushrooms and drove off-road to visit primeval forests. The Russian president is known as a lover of nature and outdoor activities, especially in Siberia. Putin often goes to Siberia every year both to rest and to check the environmental situation in the region.

The special feature of the product, Mr. Shishkin said, is not only that it is made in Russia, but 99% of the material is domestically produced. Despite not placing a heavy emphasis on fashion in his life, Russian President Putin still appreciates the role of dressing well with people. (Photo: RIA) Before that, in early June 2020, President Putin held a meeting on the light industry situation. At that time, Mr. Shishkin proposed tailoring a sports suit for Putin according to the Putin Team product line and the head of state agreed. “The size of President Putin’s suit is set to be L size – by personal measurements, of course. The base color of the collection is black, but with gray, white and red accents, ”Mr. Shishkin said. “It’s almost 100% made in Russia. Most of the material is natural fabric, derived from cotton or wool, with a subtle addition of synthetics for greater functionality and durability, ”said Mr. Shishkin. Russian President Vladimir Putin is known as “The Man in Black” because the color of his outfit is black. However, in recent years, the palette of the Russian head wardrobe has been richer, but still gentle neutral colors. Previously in an interview Putin confessed that he cared little about his clothes but always chose to dress himself to look the most elegant. When asked how his fashion style has changed over time, Putin said: “My style is very simple – it’s entrepreneurial style.” It is known that Putin’s favorite brands are Kiton and Brioni. A suit of these two brands has a starting price of about 7,000 USD each. Putin’s clothes are often made from start to finish by a single tailor, taking dozens of hours to complete. His clothes are usually black, dark blue and gray. Putin’s favorite color suit for many years has not changed. “I rarely work anywhere other than my office. I think everyone at work wears the same clothes as mine. In my private life, I dress comfortably, but of course I want to look elegant, ”Putin said in an interview. According to Putin, in the past, he did not consider clothing too important. “But now I think that choosing clothes is an art, and also an important factor for people when it contributes to creating the environment in which we live,” Putin stressed.

According to the Kremlin’s announcement, Putin signed the decree relating to “diplomatic missions and consulates, representative offices of foreign agencies or organizations” that act against the state, Russian people or organizations, collectively referred to as “hostile foreign countries”. Accordingly, “unfriendly countries” will be restricted – or in certain cases banned – from hiring or employing Russian nationals. Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: TASS The Russian government is tasked with determining the number of Russian staff that can be hired by foreign agencies and representative offices in Russia. The Ordinance states that the number of employees in foreign agencies and representative offices in excess of the prescribed number of Moscow government, even though there is a contract before the decree is signed, will have to be terminated. . This decree does not affect diplomats, consulates or citizens of the country where the representative office is located in Russia. The Russian government also has the task of making a list of “hostile foreign countries” and overseeing the implementation of restrictions or bans, as well as ensuring the rights of Russian citizens who are represented by agencies or offices. Foreign labor contract termination due to this ordinance. The Ordinance will take effect from the date it was officially announced, that is, April 23, and will be enforced until these responses are canceled. The Kremlin noted that the decree was consistent with current provisions of Russian law, including a federal law on “responses to unfriendly acts of the US and other countries”. Russia’s decree was issued in the midst of Moscow facing waves of expulsion of Russian diplomats. Germany, Poland and Sweden expelled three Russian diplomats in response to Moscow’s expulsion of three European diplomats for involvement in protests demanding the release of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. The US expelled 10 Russian diplomats for alleged election interference and cyber attacks. Ukraine expelled “a senior diplomat” from Russia after Russia detained and expelled a Ukrainian consulate-general on allegations of espionage. Most recently, the Czech Republic expelled 18 Russian diplomats over allegations that the Russian secret was involved in two explosions of ammunition depots in the Central European country. Because of “solidarity with the Czech Republic”, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia expelled many Russian diplomats. These moves led to a series of “reciprocal” retaliation measures between Russia and these countries, making relations between Moscow and the West even more tense.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting in Moscow. Photo: AFP / VNA Speaking at a joint press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow on April 22, Putin said that the Kiev government has taken steps to destroy bilateral relations with Moscow over the past time. Prominent among them was the intention of Ukraine to restrict the Russian language, destroying Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. “There are many steps to breaking the relationship, which we regret. But if President Zelensky wants to restore relations, we will respond, “Putin said about the prospect of a meeting between the two leaders in Donbass. But according to the Russian President, if it is to discuss the situation in Donbass, the Kyiv government first needs to open meetings with the leaders of the Donetsk Republic and self-proclaimed Lugansk, and then consider direct contact with the party. Tuesday. If it wants to talk about Russia-Ukraine relations, the Russian side is ready to welcome Zelensky in Moscow at any convenient time for the President of Ukraine. Earlier, speaking on April 20, Mr. Zelensky proposed his readiness to meet President Putin in Donbass, amid the outbreak of fighting between Ukrainian soldiers and independence forces in the East.

Mr. Zelensky (left) and Mr. Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky was welcome in Moscow “at any time” but stressed that he should discuss the conflict in eastern Ukraine directly with the separatists. “If we are talking about bilateral relations, by all means, we are ready to welcome the President of Ukraine at any time convenient for him,” the Russian leader said during a meeting with the Belarusian leader. Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, according to Tass . Putin’s invitation to Zelensky came in response to this week’s request by the President of Ukraine to meet the two leaders in eastern Ukraine, where the fighting intensified between the Kyiv army and the faction. Pro-Moscow separatism has raised concerns about an all-out war. Ukraine, the European Union and the US have recently set off alarm bells about Russian troops gathering troops on the borders of the former Soviet Union country. Moscow said the military was conducting drills in response to NATO exercises and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday ordered the army to return to its permanent base by May 1. “If President Zelensky wants to begin to heal relations, we certainly welcome,” Putin told reporters as he began talks with President Lukashenko. But the Russian leader said that if Mr. Zelensky hoped to solve the problems stemming from the fighting in eastern Ukraine, he should first meet with the leaders of the separatist zones in Donetsk and Lugansk. “And it was only then that these matters were discussed with representatives of third countries, in this case Russia,” Putin said. Kiev has been fighting the separatists in areas east of Donetsk and Lugansk since 2014. The conflict has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people, and has seen about 30 Ukrainian soldiers perished since the beginning of 2021, compared with the number 50 of the whole 2020. Sponsorship news

On April 15th (Thursday) local time, US President Biden delivered a speech on Russia in the East Room of the White House

Biden delivered a speech at the White House on Thursday afternoon local time, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to ease the situation, and once again called for a US-Russian summit in Europe later this year to defend the punitive measures taken by the United States. Biden pointed out that he had a conversation with Putin on Tuesday.

“We could have gone further, but I did not choose to do so. I chose moderation,” Biden said. “The United States does not want to cause a vicious circle of escalation and conflict with Russia. We want to establish a stable and predictable relationship. If Russia continues to interfere in our democracy, I am prepared to take further action to respond.”

Russian officials condemned the actions of the United States. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that such provocative behavior will undoubtedly be resolutely rejected, and a response to sanctions will be inevitable.

On Thursday afternoon, Biden said in a seven-minute speech in the East Room of the White House that he believed that he and Putin would hold a summit somewhere in Europe this summer.

Biden said at the meeting that the two countries “can initiate a strategic stability dialogue to seek cooperation in arms control and security” and address issues such as the containment of Iran’s and North Korea’s nuclear threats, the new crown pneumonia epidemic, and the “survival of climate change”. “Crisis” and other issues.

Biden signed an administrative order that day, announcing sanctions on six Russian technology companies that provide support to Russian intelligence agencies. The executive order also authorizes the US government to expand sanctions on Russian sovereign debt as appropriate, and prohibits US financial institutions from participating in the primary market for bonds denominated in rubles or non-rube currencies issued after June 14 this year, such as the Central Bank of Russia and the Ministry of Finance.

(Edit: Zixuan)

Russian President Putin and US President Biden. Photo: BBC

“When I spoke to President Putin, I expressed confidence that direct and personal communication between the two of us is essential to a more effective relationship. He agrees on that point.” – he said.

He added: “So I proposed that we meet face to face this summer in Europe for a summit to address a wide range of issues that both our countries are facing. face.”

According to him, “our teams are discussing this possibility right now.”

“And if that summit takes place and I believe it will happen, the US and Russia can launch a dialogue of strategic stability to pursue cooperation in arms control,” Biden stressed. and security ”.

“We can tackle important global challenges that require Russia and the US to work together, including curbing nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea, ending the global pandemic. and deal with the existing climate change crisis “- declared by US President.

In the same speech, Mr. Biden said he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of the sanctions in a phone call he called a “straightforward, respectful conversation” on April 13.

“I have made it clear to President Putin that we can take more action, but I choose not to. I chose to respond accordingly. The US does not want to start a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship, ”Mr. Biden said at the White House on April 15.

The sanctions “send a signal that the United States will impose measures strategically and have an economic impact on Russia if it continues or escalates destabilizing international actions,” the White House said. know in a statement. “Our goal is not to escalate, to impose sanctions on what we feel is an unacceptable action by the Russian government,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. before the press on April 15.

The White House said on April 15 that recent sanctions actions were also prompted by Moscow “targeting dissidents or journalists” and undermining “security in countries and regions.” important to US national security ”, referring to the recent Russian alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexey Navalny and military consolidation along the Ukrainian border.

Mr. Biden has strained his relationship with Putin personally by agreeing with the view that Putin is a “killer”. The US President did not apologize and also refused to hold talks with the Russian President when Putin proposed a dialogue.

For a while, Mr. Biden continued to send signals that the US would punish Russia for its interference in the US’s internal affairs, including cyber attacks and election interference. At the same time, the US leader suggests direct dialogue with the Russian President.

For the past two days, Mr. Biden has repeatedly heated up American media about what he sees as a measure of pressure on Moscow, forcing it to pay the price for what it has done with America, while leaving the door open. the door to directly negotiate with Mr. Putin.

Analysts said that Mr. Biden’s actions in imposing new sanctions against the possibility of a live conference with Putin, will give Mr. Biden’s negotiating advantage.

Expert Lev Sokolschik, scientist of the Center for Integrated Research on European and International Affairs at Russia’s HSE State Research University, said that the US is continuing its policy of restraining Russia on all fronts. Important aspects include economic, military, political and using pressure in areas of interest to win the US over Russia.

The US has followed the roadmap: Announcing the summit proposal, negotiating and then imposing sanctions on dialogue with Russia with its strengths, the Russian expert said.

However, given the ever-confrontational nature of the Russia-US relationship, the actions of the US would immediately receive a response from Russia. The Russian side is also considering a number of retaliation sanctions and could be announced in the near future.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan previously called the sanctions “adequate measures to protect US interests from harmful Russian actions including cyber intrusion and election interference”.

The recently announced measures include sanctions on six Russian companies that support domestic cyber operations, along with sanctions on 32 individuals and organizations allegedly trying. to interfere in last year’s presidential election.

The White House said 10 Russian diplomats were deported, including representatives of Russian intelligence agencies.

“What is currently being considered – possibly sanctions – will not help the meeting,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.