Biden-Putin meeting takeaways: special edition

[Bloomberg]( Follow Us [Get the newsletter]( The first summit between the leaders of the U.S. and Russia was enough to get an initial read on each other. They raced through a bunch of topics in a short amount of time. So the talk afterward was generally positive, but also positively general. There were few tangibles aside from an [agreement]( to return their ambassadors and hold consultations on arms control. President Vladimir Putin said each country sees the other’s “red lines” and there’s now a “glimmer of trust”. He described President Joe Biden as an experienced statesman. Biden in turn called the tone of the talks constructive and spoke of cooperating on issues of mutual interest. He cited their shared “unique responsibility” to manage the relationship, and said no threats were issued. There were tension points, with Biden raising both the [treatment]( of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny and U.S. citizens in Russian [prisons](. Putin claimed there were American-backed groups working against Russia from the inside. Biden said he told the Russian leader that certain [critical]( infrastructure should be “off limits” from hackers. Putin disputed that Russia helped carry out cyberattacks on America. Each side can probably come away claiming some progress. Putin joked that not every world leader enjoyed so much attention, a nod to what he sought most: recognition. Biden obliged, calling both Russia and the U.S. “great powers” going into their meeting. He gave Putin a pair of custom Aviator sunglasses. Biden at least gets to say he put the relationship on a slightly more stable footing. “I did what I came to do,” he said. At the same time there’s no immediate plan for a further meeting and their ties are potentially just one problem away from a serious deterioration. The summit is a start, but only that. — [Rosalind Mathieson]( Biden and Putin today at Villa La Grange in Geneva. Photographer: Denis Balibouse/Reuters/Pool Check out all our biggest stories on the Bloomberg Politics web page [here]( and tell us how we’re doing or what we’re missing at balancepower@bloomberg.net. Sponsored Content [Southern California Edison]( is leading the charge for clean, more renewable energy. We’re a national leader in solar delivery. We’re striving to cut emissions from buildings and freeways. And we proudly support the fastest growing green jobs in the nation. Southern California Edison Navalny’s fate | Biden said he made clear to Putin that if Navalny, a political opponent who was the victim of an apparent assassination attempt, dies in prison, “the consequences of that would be devastating for Russia.” Putin alleged that Navalny had sought deliberately to be arrested after his return to Russia in January. A worker paints over graffiti of Navalny in St. Petersburg on April 28. The inscription reads: “The hero of the new times”. Photographer: Ogla Maltseva/AFP/Getty Images Media focus | Russian state media had a field day during the summit touting the perceived odd behavior on the part of the U.S. State-owned RIA Novosti spoke with fashion experts to decode Biden’s choice of a light blue tie and noted Putin’s was a “royal” purple. One prominent television anchor focused on the American delegation bringing their own water bottles, saying it was a sign of mistrust of their Swiss hosts as well as Russia. Covid complications | Even as he focuses on his Biden meeting, Putin faces [problems]( at home. Moscow ordered service-sector and municipal workers to get vaccinated amid a spike in Covid-19 cases, forcing the Kremlin to deny any reversal in Putin’s opposition to compulsory inoculation. The president said this month that Russia had coped with the pandemic better than many other countries and “we will not force anyone” to get a shot. Lacking substance | The European Union’s eagerly awaited strategy to “push back” against Russia makes no mention of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, a central [dilemma]( for the bloc for years. As [Alberto Nardelli]( reports, the document requested by member states ahead of a leaders’ discussion next week proposes few potential solutions while recognizing that ties with Moscow continue to deteriorate. Supporting strongmen | From Syria to Venezuela, Russia has intervened to save authoritarian leaders accused of rigging elections, part of a wider policy of [confrontation]( with the West that forced Biden to pay attention, resulting in Putin’s seat at the table in Geneva. As [Marc Champion]( and [Henry Meyer]( report, it is also potentially damaging to Russia’s longer-term economic prospects. And finally … The summit was a closely stage-managed affair — Putin, notorious for making people wait, arrived on time and Biden arrived shortly after as scheduled. But there were hiccups. A mob of the press tried to squeeze into a small room, and at one point Russian guards shoved U.S. media. The scrum appeared to distract the presidents and drowned out some of their remarks. A meeting the Russians and Americans predicted would last four to five hours was over in three — including a 20-minute gap between sessions, according to the White House. An armored police vehicle outside Villa La Grange today in Geneva. Photographer: Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg   Like Balance of Power? [Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com](, where you'll find trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters.  You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Balance of Power newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Bloomberg.com]( | [Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022