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Biden-Putin summit highlights: 'I did what I came to do,' Biden said

Putin called the summit in Geneva "constructive" and without "hostility."

Last Updated: June 16, 2021, 5:41 PM EDT

U.S. President Joe Biden held a high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday at what the leaders agree is a "low point" in the U.S.-Russia relationship.

The two men faced off inside an 18th-century Swiss villa, situated alongside a lake in the middle of Geneva's Parc de la Grange. The fifth American president to sit down with Putin, Biden has spoken with him and met him before, in 2016.

Having called Putin a "killer" and saying he's told him before he has no "soul," Biden told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega on Monday that he also recalled the Russian leader as being "bright" and "tough."

"And I have found that he is a -- as they say, when you used to play ball -- a worthy adversary," Biden said.

Jun 16, 2021, 4:02 PM EDT

Biden gives Putin American Bison crystal sculpture and Aviator sunglasses

As is customary when an American president meets a foreign leader for a major meeting, Biden came bearing gifts.

According to a White House official, the president gave Putin with a crystal sculpture of an American Bison, "a stately interpretation of one of our nation’s most majestic mammals and representative of strength, unity, resilience."

The sculpture was presented on a cherry wood base, symbolic of President George Washington's roots, "with a custom engraved inscription plaque commemorating the meeting," the official said.

President Joe Biden puts on his sunglasses toward the end of a news conference after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, June 16, 2021, in Geneva.
Patrick Semansky/AP

And in a touch of Biden's personal fashion, quite literally, he also gave Putin with a pair of custom Aviators made by Randolph USA in the company's Massachusetts factory.

Jun 16, 2021, 3:22 PM EDT

Biden departs Geneva to end 1st overseas trip as president

Biden gave a thumbs-up as he boarded Air Force One, leaving his summit with Putin after a week traveling across Europe meeting with world leaders in his first foreign trip as president.

President Joe Biden boards Air Force One at Geneva airport, as he leaves Geneva after the U.S.-Russia summit, Switzerland, June 16, 2021.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Biden told reporters at the airport he thinks he succeeded in what he said was his main mission of showing, on the world stage and to G-7 and NATO allies, that "America is back."

"They're glad America’s back -- and they acted that way," Biden said, offering final thoughts on his high-profile trip.

Biden reiterated that world leaders “thank[ed] him for arranging a meeting with Putin, and said he was a better position to represent the West "knowing that the rest of the West was behind us," adding he owed them all a "debt of gratitude."

Jun 16, 2021, 2:54 PM EDT

Biden snaps at reporter over whether he's confident Putin will change, later apologizes

When asked on his way out of his solo press conference by CNN's Kaitlin Collins why he was confident Putin will change his behavior, Biden walked back toward reporters, raised his finger and said, "What the hell?... When did I say I was confident?"

Collins followed up noting Biden said earlier it would take "six months to a year" to see if the U.S. and Russia "have a strategic dialogue that matters."

"What I said was, let’s get it straight. I said what will change their behavior is if the rest of the world reacts to them and it diminishes their standing in the world. I'm not confident of anything. I'm just stating a fact," he said.

U.S President Joe Biden speaks to journalists as he is about to leave his press conference after the US-Russia summit in Geneva, June 16, 2021.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

When she followed up again, Biden said, "If you don’t understand that, you’re in the wrong business."

But by the time he arrived at Air Force One a short while later to return to Washington, Biden walked over to reporters and apologized.

President Joe Biden speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One at Geneva airport, as he leaves Geneva after the U.S.-Russia summit, Switzerland, June 16, 2021.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

"I owe my last question an apology. I shouldn’t have -- I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy with the last answer I gave," he said. "Anyway. Thanks for being here," adding he feels good about where the country is headed following his first foreign trip.

Jun 16, 2021, 2:09 PM EDT

Biden says meeting Putin not about trust but about American 'self-interest'

Asked now that he's met face to face with Putin if he thinks can trust him, Biden said the summit was "not about trust."

"This is about self-interest and verification of self-interest," Biden said. "Almost anyone that I would work out an agreement with that affected the American people's interest, I don't say, 'Well, I trust you, no problem. Let's see what happens.' You know, as that old expression goes, 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating.'"

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