Putin praises Biden as constructive at Geneva summit

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IMAGE COPYRIGHT / AFP/ President Joe Biden boards Air Force One at Brussels Airport in Brussels, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Biden is en route to Geneva. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised his US counterpart Joe Biden at their summit in Geneva, saying he found him constructive and well-balanced.

The two leaders held about four hours of talks, covering a range of topics including nuclear arms control and US allegations of Russian cyber-attacks.

Mr Putin hinted at a possible deal on exchanging prisoners, saying he believed compromises could be found.

Both sides say relations have been at rock bottom.

On cyber-attacks, Mr Putin brushed away accusations of Russian responsibility, saying that most cyber-attacks in Russia originated from the US.

And he dismissed US concerns about the fate of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was sent to a penal colony in February for more than two years and recently undertook a 24-day hunger strike.

He said Navalny ignored the law and knew that he would face imprisonment when he returned to Russia after having sought medical treatment in Germany. Navalny says he was poisoned with a nerve agent on Mr Putin’s orders – an accusation Mr Putin denies.

Mr Biden is due to give a news conference shortly.

SOURCE: BBC