US President Joe Biden has admitted that ties with Russia is at a “low point” during his administration tenure.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier told the US-based NBC News that “bilateral relationship… has deteriorated to its lowest point in recent years.”
“I think he’s right, it’s a low point, and it depends on how he responds to acting consistently with international norms, which in many cases he has not,” Biden said at a press conference to mark the end of the G7 summit in the English county of Cornwall on Sunday.
Biden also accused Putin of interfering in the 2016 presidential election, allegations repeatedly denied by Moscow.
“I checked it out, so I had access to all the intelligence. He was engaged in those activities. I did respond and made it clear that I’d respond again,” Biden said.
Biden and Putin are set to meet in Geneva next week but will not have a joint news conference.
“The bottom line is that I think the best way to deal with this is for he and I to meet, for he and I to have our discussion – I know you don’t doubt that I’ll be very straightforward with him about our concerns,” Biden said.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agency TASS on Saturday that the Russian leader would speak to Kremlin pool reporters and other media outlets after the meeting.
Some US media outlets have suggested that no major new policy agreements are expected after the meeting
