Ο Joe Biden said yesterday Sunday that he agrees with Vladimir Putin to the finding that US-Russia relations are at their «nadir», just 24 hours before the two heads of state meet for the first time since the US president took office in January.
Tensions between the two states are running high over many different issues, from the human rights as the Ukraine and from the alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election to the hacker attacks - the long-awaited first face-to-face meeting between the two presidents, on Wednesday in Geneva, is considered crucial.
Mr Biden was commenting, following a question from a journalist in Cornwall after the G7 summit, on Mr Putin's statement during an interview with the US television network NBC News a few days ago that «the bilateral relationship» has «deteriorated» in recent years to such an extent that it is «at its nadir».
«I think he's right that we're at rock bottom,» Biden said.
He also defended the decision not to hold a joint press conference after the summit, but for each president to appear separately in front of the cameras.
«We're not in a competition to see who can do better in the press conference, or who can embarrass the other guy. I will be very clear about the conditions we set in order to have a better relationship (...). We do not seek conflict», the Democratic president insisted.
«I will make clear how I think the meeting went from my perspective and so will he,» Biden added.
