The meeting of the American leader Joe Biden with the Russian President Vladimir Putin in the format of video communication has begun. Putin is in residence in Sochi, and Biden is in Washington.
The topics to be discussed by the heads of the two countries are cyber security, strategic stability and regional problems: the situation in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iran, Libya and Syria. They also intend to discuss the state of Russian-American relations.
The press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, said that the video conference would be thorough and long. However, the Kremlin does not expect a breakthrough from the talks between the two leaders.
"This is a working conversation in a very difficult period. The escalation of tension in Europe is off the charts, it is extraordinary," said the press secretary of the President of Russia.
According to him, the very fact of negotiations is already a breakthrough. Meanwhile, the representative of the White House, Jen Psaki, said that during the video call, Biden will emphasize the concern of the United States about the military activity of Russia on the border with Ukraine. She also said that the president intends to confirm support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Ukrainian political scientists believe that Putin will have to "account for unfulfilled promises" that were made earlier at the meeting in Geneva.
"Putin is now going to visit India, as if he deliberately wants to reduce the value of the conversation with Joe Biden, to make it passable. In fact, she is very important to him. It is unlikely that it will result in some big deal. Nevertheless, Biden will most likely ask, in the context of the previous meeting in Geneva, whether Putin has fulfilled what he promised," suggests Yevgeny Magda, director of the Institute of World Politics.
It should be noted that the conversation between the heads of the White House and the Kremlin is taking place against the background of the threat of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.
