Putin and Biden’s ‘aunt-a-aunt’ talks are not planned at the Geneva summit, says Kremlin

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The leaders’ meeting will be in three parts. The conversation will first take place in a narrow circle, but then in an extended composition, and there will be a short break, the official said.

Asked if the presidents would have “aunt-a-aunt” talks, Ushakov said, “No. Narrow composition.”

At this stage of the talks with the presidents, Sergei Lavrov and Anthony Blinken, heads of Russian and US foreign ministries, will be present.

Agreeing that the “one-to-one” format was used in previous talks between Russian and US leaders, even when Barack Obama took over as US president, this time everything depends on the presidents themselves.

“As the presidents will decide, a lot depends on them, but the talks will start in a narrow composition. But as for whether the presidents will want to step aside and talk ‘aunt-a-aunt’, I don’t know, it’s up to them.” said a Kremlin spokesman.

At the end of the talks, the presidents will each speak to the press.

This will be the first meeting between Biden and Putin since Biden took office. True, the leaders met in 2011, when Biden took the position of vice president.

The presidents of Russia and the United States have spoken twice over the phone this year.

For his part, US President Joe Biden announced on Monday that he would set “red lines” for Russian President Vladimir Putin at their forthcoming summit.

“I am not looking for a conflict with Russia, but we will respond if Russia continues its harmful actions,” Biden said, speaking after his first NATO summit since his election as president.

Biden also called Putin a “tough” and “worthy opponent” ahead of his meeting in Geneva on Wednesday.

The warning to the Kremlin leader comes as Biden seeks to rebuild Washington’s transatlantic ties with the Allies following the tensions created by his predecessor, Donald Trump.

At Baiden’s call, NATO leaders agreed to work together on the “systemic challenges” posed by China’s aggressive policies.

NATO leaders also warned Russia on Monday that it would not be possible to return to normal relations between the alliance and Moscow until Russia complied with international rights and obligations.

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