Biden says he hopes to meet with Putin during Europe trip

American president is scheduled to attend the Group of Seven summit in England and hold meetings in Brussels.

Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on April 13. Picture: AFP

President Joe Biden said on Wednesday AEST he expects to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his trip to Europe in June.

“That is my hope and expectation. We’re working on it,” Mr Biden said in response to a question about the trip, when he is scheduled to attend the Group of Seven summit in England and hold meetings in Brussels. Mr Biden last month proposed a meeting with Mr Putin, but a date and location wasn’t set.

The White House didn’t immediately respond to questions Tuesday afternoon. Mr Biden and Mr Putin spoke by phone on April 13 and discussed a range of issues, including Russia’s troop buildup near Ukraine and what the White House described as Russian “cyber intrusions and election interference”.

Mr Biden in his speech last week to congress said: “I made very clear to President Putin that while we don’t seek escalation, their actions have consequences”. He was referring to retaliatory measures against Russia over election interference and the SolarWinds hack of government and corporate computer networks.

Mr Biden also expressed a desire to work with Moscow, citing climate change and an extension of the New START nuclear-arms deal.

The Europe trip would be Mr Biden’s first overseas travel since becoming president.

The Wall Street Journal