Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed Wednesday to return their nations’ ambassadors to their posts and begin negotiations to replace the last remaining treaty between the two countries limiting nuclear weapons.
Here are some of the more notable quotes from the summit and both leaders’ subsequent, and separate, news conferences:
“I would like to thank you for your initiative in today’s meeting. I know you’ve had a long trip, a lot of work. Nevertheless, there are many issues in Russian-American relations that need to be discussed at the highest level, and I hope that our meeting will be productive.”
— Putin to Biden, according to a Kremlin transcript, reported by ABC News.
“Thank you, as I said outside, I think it’s always better to meet face to face.”
— Biden to Putin
“Switzerland is very honored to welcome you for this summit, and it is delighted — in line with its tradition of good offices — to support dialogue and mutual understanding. I wish you both, Mr. Presidents, a fruitful dialogue in the interest of your two countries and the world.”
— Swiss President Guy Parmelin
“The talks were quite constructive. I think there was no hostility. Quite the contrary. I think that both of these sides showed a willingness to understand one another and to find ways to bring our positions closer together.”
— Putin, in post-summit news conference
“The list of your political opponents who are dead, imprisoned or jailed is long, .and you have now prevented anyone who supports [Alexey Navalny] to run for office. So my question is, Mr. President: what are you so afraid of?”
— ABC News’ Rachel Scott, to Putin
“I wanted President Putin to understand why I say what I say and why I do what I do, and how we’ll respond to specific kinds of actions that harm America’s interests.”
— Biden, in post-summit news conference
“No president of the United States could keep faith with the American people if they did not speak out to defend our democratic values. Human rights is going to always be on the table, I told him.”
— Biden, in post-summit news conference
“I looked at [Putin] and I said, well, how would you feel if ransomware took on the pipeline from your oil fields? This is not about just our self-interest; t’s about our mutual self-interest.”
— Biden, in post-summit news conference, on ransomware
“I did what I came to do.”
— Biden, in post-summit news conference
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