No exaggerated expectations ahead of Putin-Biden summit: Moscow

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow has “no exaggerated expectations” about a potential breakthrough at an upcoming summit between President Vladimir Putin and President Joe Biden of the United States.

“We have no exaggerated expectations, no illusions [regarding the summit] that some breakthroughs are due. But there is an objective need for an exchange of opinions at the summit level as to what threats Russia and the United States as two major nuclear powers in the international scene see in front of them,” Lavrov said at a briefing in the Russian capital on Wednesday.

“The normalization of Russian-American relations is only possible if the principles of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs are followed,” Lavrov stated. “This condition is necessary not only to support the normal predictable and stable dialogue, which the Americans say they want, but it is also important to get rid of the accumulated confrontational attitude between our states.”

“I hope that those working with the Russian Federation will assess Russia’s actions, interests and position, our red lines at least, and that they will learn from past mistakes and refuse to hold dialogue solely from the position of claiming hegemony in global affairs.”

The planned June 16 summit in Geneva, Switzerland, the Russian foreign minister said, is important in itself.

“Dialog is better than none but if the American policy sticks to the mentality of hegemony, if the Americans listen to their own propaganda which dominates the US elite, there won’t be much to expect.”

It will be the first face-to-face summit between the presidents of the two countries since Biden came to office in January.

Biden, Putin slated to meet in Geneva on June 16 amid rising tensions

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to hold their first face-to-face meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva on June 16.

Western sanctions will ‘remain forever’ 

On Monday and speaking at a parliamentary hearing, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said the sanctions against Russia, imposed by the United States and the European Union, will remain in place forever, and that Moscow must be realistic.

He said the sanctions are so deeply embodied in the legislative and regulatory acts of Western states that they will be impossible to “unscrew.”

“The sanctions regime has always existed, and it will remain forever,” Pankin said. “Let’s be realistic.”

President Putin recently told the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that Washington imposes sanctions against Russia with or without any reason.

In April, the US imposed new sanctions on Russia. It also announced an expansion of restrictions on exports to Russia, in particular targeting defense-related items.

Relations between Moscow and Washington hit a new low in March after Biden – in an interview – called Putin a “killer” and said the Russian president would have to “pay a price” for what he alleged was interference in the 2020 US presidential election.

Moscow rejects the election meddling allegation.

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