- The Washington Times - Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Biden agreed Wednesday to return their ambassadors to their posts in each country.

“The two ambassadors, we agreed, should return to their posts,” Mr. Putin said at a news conference in Geneva at the conclusion of their summit.

The Russian leader called the meeting “constructive.” He said they would begin “consultations” on cybersecurity, after a series of cyberattacks on the U.S. government and key sectors of the U.S. economy.

Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov and U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan had been recalled to their home countries several months ago amid heightened tensions.

Mr. Putin insisted that the cyberattacks are originating in North and South America, and said, “Russia isn’t on the list.”

“All they do is make insinuations,” he said of the U.S. “What we need is expert consultations between us. We agree to that, in principle.”


SEE ALSO: Chaos at Biden-Putin summit: Reporters yell, shove, manhandled by Russian bodyguards


Mr. Putin described a cordial meeting.

“I think there was no hostility. Quite the contrary,” he said. “I think that both of these sides showed a willingness to understand one another and to find ways to bring our positions closer together. [Mr. Biden] is a very experienced politician.”

The Russian president said they discussed human rights on Mr. Biden’s initiative. 

But Mr. Putin also pointed to a rise in shootings and other violence in the U.S., saying the country’s leader is ultimately responsible for such actions.

• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.

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