Geneva: In a highly anticipated summit, U.S. President Joe Biden met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Switzerland on Wednesday amid heightened tensions between the two countries.
The summit is taking place at the 18th-century Swiss Villa La Grange in Geneva, along the coast of a lake near the French border. The two leaders met there and were photographed exchanging greetings before they went inside for a photo opportunity that preceded the private meeting.
Officials have said both leaders will speak to reporters, separately, after the summit. Biden is scheduled to speak at 1:30 p.m. EDT.
During the photo opportunity inside the Swiss villa, both leaders said they were hopeful about the meeting.
Biden is expected to raise several hostile issues with Putin — including a swath of recent Russian cyberattacks targeting the United States, election interference, the Kremlin’s detention of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and other human rights concerns.
Both leaders were welcomed by Swiss President Guy Parmelin before the start of the summit.
