Well here is one thing to come out of this train wreck...
Joe Biden has met Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since he became US President with expectations low that the encounter will herald any major improvements to relations.
www.rte.ie
US and Russian ambassadors to return to offices in Washington and Moscow
Updated / Wednesday, 16 Jun 2021
19:31
US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands as they arrive at Villa La Grange in Geneva
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow and Washington agreed for their ambassadors to return, after talks in Geneva with US counterpart Joe Biden.
"They will return to their place of work. When exactly is a purely technical question," Mr Putin told reporters after a summit in Geneva.
The two leaders wrapped up their first summit shortly 3pm, after around three-and-a-half hours of meetings at a villa in Geneva.
Speaking to reporters after the summit, Vladimir Putin said he saw a "glimpse of hope" for mutual trust with the United States following today's meeting, but added that Washington's moves to exit arms treaties showed its unpredictability.
Mr Putin described Joe Biden as a constructive and experienced partner and said the two leaders spoke "the same language", describing the talks as pragmatic and fruitful.
However he said it was hard to say whether relations with the United States would improve.
Mr Putin said he agreed with Mr Biden to start consultations on cybersecurity, asserting that cyber attacks on Russia were coming from the United States.
He said there was no hostility at the meeting and that both sides showed the desire to understand each other.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L), US President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sit for photos before beginning their meeting
"The conversation was absolutely constructive", Mr Putin told reporters.
Meanwhile, Mr Biden said the tone of the meeting was "positive", but added that 'there is much more work ahead'.
He also said he raised the case of imprisoned dissident Alexei Navalny, adding he made it clear the US will continue to "raise issues of fundamental human rights".
Washington has long complained of what it says is persistent and combative Russian cyber activity, namely meddling and interference in elections, that it says have been carried out either by Russian security services or hackers with links to the Kremlin.
Vladimir Putin said the US had requested information on 10 separate cyber security incidents from Russia, and that Washington had received "exhaustive" answers in all cases.
"Russia sent 45 such requests to the United States last year," he said, "and 35 this year."
"And we have not received a single answer," he said, claiming that: "The largest number of cyber attacks in the world are carried out from the US space."
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Mr Putin said that Moscow and Washington would also begin discussions on possible changes to the recently extended New START arms control treaty, adding that the two countries are responsible for nuclear strategic stability.
A possible prisoner swap between both countries was also discussed, he said, and that there may be "compromises" possible.
"We discussed it, there may be certain compromises," Mr Putin said, adding that the issue was raised by Joe Biden.
Vladimir Putin also dismissed Washington's concerns over Moscow's growing military presence in the Arctic.
"The concerns of the American side about militarisation have no basis," Mr Putin said, adding that Russia is "restoring destroyed infrastructure" in the region.
In relation to Ukraine, Mr Putin said there was nothing of substance to discuss about its possible membership in NATO.
He also accused Kyiv of breaching an agreement to halt a conflict between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Relations have deteriorated for years, notably with Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, its 2015 intervention in Syria and US charges - denied by Moscow - of its meddling in the 2016 election that brought Donald Trump to the White House.
They sank further in March when Mr Biden said he thought Mr Putin was a "killer", prompting Russia to recall its ambassador to Washington for consultations.
