- Biden and Putin will meet in Geneva to discuss deteriorating relationship but expectations are low
- Moscow and Beijing could pursue a closer alliance after G7 and Nato took a tough line on both
US President Joe Biden is expected to raise contentious issues with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin
when they meet in Geneva on Wednesday to discuss the deteriorating relationship between the Kremlin and the West.
China and Russia, meanwhile, have “no choice” but to move closer, especially after the G7 and Nato leaders took a tough line on the two countries this week, according to one observer.Nato on Monday said China presented “systemic challe
Nato on Monday said China presented “systemic challenges” to the rules-based international order – highlighting military cooperation with Russia as a concern – and that Russia’s actions constituted a “threat” to Euro-Atlantic security.
Ahead of the talks, Putin told NBC News in an interview aired on Saturday that the US-Russia relationship had “deteriorated to its lowest point in recent years”.
Biden said before the summit that the US wanted stable and predictable relations with Russia and was “not seeking conflict”, but would “respond in a robust and meaningful way” if Moscow engaged in harmful activities.
Putin also said there had been
attempts to destroy the relationship
between Russia and China but ties were at an “unprecedentedly high level”.
Biden is expected to raise issues including cyberattacks, aggression towards Ukraine and arms control during the talks with Putin, but observers say they are unlikely to make much progress.
Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said Nato and the G7 had caused more antagonism between the US and Russia with their communiques and the Geneva talks would do little to change that.
“Biden wants to reiterate the hardline posture of the US when he goes to Geneva,” Shi said, adding that arms control would be a focus after the two sides agreed in January to extend the New START treaty limiting nuclear weapons.
“Perhaps they will talk about measures to prevent the deterioration of arms control.”Shi said tensions with the West could lead to a stronger alliance between Russia and China. “In the current climate, China and Russia have no choice but to strengthen their strategic, military and diplomatic cooperation,” he said.
In its communique on Sunday, the Group of 7 called on Russia to investigate the use of chemical weapons and to hold accountable those behind cybercrimes. It also called for a new investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and urged China to respect human rights and freedoms in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
