U.S., Russia start talks to arrange Biden-Putin meeting

Representatives of the United States and the Russian Federation have started talks to arrange a meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

"National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke by phone today with Nikolay Patrushev, Secretary of the Russian Security Council," the White House said in a statement on April 19.

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The two discussed a number of issues in the bilateral relationship, as well as regional and global matters of concern.

"Mr. Sullivan and Secretary Patrushev also discussed the prospect of a presidential summit between the United States and Russia and agreed to continue to stay in touch," the statement said.

Presidential summit prospects

• On April 13, 2021, Biden offered Putin to meet in Europe in the coming months.
• On April 16, 2021, Biden announced the topics that he would like to discuss with Putin. According to the U.S. President, the two countries could work together to contain nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea, end the pandemic at the global level, and overcome climate change.
• Biden also expressed the hope that the United States and the Russian Federation could start a dialogue on strategic cooperation, security, and arms control.