Boris Johnson, Britain’s Prime Minister, was absolutely right at the G7: President Biden is truly “a breath of fresh air!” It turns out that President Biden is not only “everything Europe asked for”—to quote a Foreign Policy headline—but everything the international community could very much hope for! A well-versed charismatic president of astounding prudence and diplomatic prowess with a clear international compass.
“With your permission, I’m going to take my coat off. The sun is hot.” (“Remarks by President Biden in Press Conference”)
Those were the lines with which President Biden had, in the most symbolically indicative and articulate manner, interjected a question that was being structured upon the notion that the “two countries [the United States and Russia] spilling down into a Cold War,” (“Remarks by President Biden in Press Conference”) in the press conference he held subsequent to the summit.
Bullseye, Mr. President!
In spite of all the cynicism and ‘doom and gloom’ rhetoric circulated in the media in the run-up to the Geneva U.S.-Russian Summit, a fundamental mutual understanding has been established vis-á-vis mutual and individual strategic interests between the two leaders.
The truth of the matter is this:
When the summit was first announced, many speculated what issues and concerns Presidents Biden and Putin might possibly raise and discuss during their one-on-one meeting, myself included. [see “The Summit That Would Set Out the Course of the Decade: the Biden-Putin 16 June 2021 Geneva Summit”]
Listening to their separate press conferences afterwards, one would infer that they have actually covered, in a word, everything. They went above and beyond in their deliberations. That was remarkably surprising, and further demonstrated a genuine intent for rapprochement.
Immediate deliverables were never anticipated—much less promised—by either party, to begin with. The basis for prospective cooperation with respect to mutual interests as well as each country’s particular strategic ones was delineated, nevertheless; all the while both presidents maintained their values and principles (“Remarks by President Biden in Press Conference”).
Overall, the summit was indeed successful on multiple fronts.
First, it reaffirmed Russia’s status as a world superpower whose role remains indispensable for international strategic stability—which is of paramount significance; not just to President Putin, but to Russian national sentiment.
Second, it allowed the two leaders to converse and communicate with no external interference, nor distortion—hence, clarified intentions.
Third, as a result, it eradicated residual and potential misunderstandings.
Fourth, and most importantly, true that prior to the summit Presidents Biden and Putin understood one another [see “Presidents Biden and Putin ‘Understand One Another’”]; however, that was a mutual understanding of each other’s circumstances; whereas now, they have a firm grasp of one another’s explicit needs and wants at both international and domestic levels, in addition to their acknowledgement of their respective responsibilities in addressing exigent global challenges.
In summary, President Biden’s gesture followed by his verbal response made things crystal clear: when he responded that he doesn’t think President Putin wants a Cold War (“Remarks by President Biden in Press Conference”), he de facto dismissed his pursuit of the same, and thereby implied that the time has come for dialogue, engagement, and potential cooperation.
If that is not progress, one wonders what is?!
Reference
Remarks by President Biden in Press Conference. 16 June 2021, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/06/16/remarks-by-president-biden-in-press-conference-4/.
