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Humiliation in Geneva: Summit Between Biden and Putin Was an Embarrassment of Historic Proportions

Posted on Friday, June 18, 2021
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by AMAC Newsline
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Biden

AMAC Exclusive By Daniel Roman

Joe Biden was so desperate for the summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva this week that he apparently made a series of major concessions to pave the way—from lifting sanctions on the Nord Stream II pipeline to effectively giving Russia a pass on the flagrant kidnapping of a journalist from a commercial jet passing through Belarussian airspace.

But if Biden was hoping to boost his polling numbers with a high-profile foreign policy success overseas, that is not what those concessions bought him with Putin this week. When it comes to image, preparation, and even basic understanding of geopolitics, there was no contest between the two leaders. It is hard to imagine a more humiliating defeat for the United States than that which Putin inflicted on Biden in Geneva.

This defeat may not be the very worst of all time in terms of geopolitics. It would be hard to top the Yalta Conference between FDR, Churchill and Stalin in that respect, where Churchill and FDR emerged with some scribblings on a napkin and Stalin with Eastern Europe. But Stalin at least allowed the Western leaders the illusion of success. This week, not only did Putin concede nothing on the key questions of cybersecurity, Americans held captive in Russia, and the Ukraine. He openly flaunted his triumph over the American president.

That mockery came in the form of a series of post-summit dueling press conferences that themselves represented a diplomatic catastrophe for the United States in terms of conception, planning, and execution. For one thing, they never should have happened in the first place. Traditionally, summits between leaders are followed by a joint press conference where the two leaders stand side-by-side taking alternating questions from the media. That was how things worked when Bill Clinton met with Boris Yeltsin, a man whose decrepitude was as infamous as his intoxication, and who famously fell off a stage during a campaign event. It was how it worked with George Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump with Putin and Medvedev. It was how Putin and the Russians assumed it would work with Joe Biden.

Instead, the Biden team threw a spanner into the works. They refused to hold a joint press conference with Putin. Why precisely they made this decision is something of a mystery. That is not because their stated reasons are nonsensical—that goes without saying—but that the Administration itself could not seem to agree on a reason. Initially the White House suggested it would allow Putin a “platform” only for Biden himself to walk-back that reasoning suggesting that it would be a “diversion” and create an environment of competition between himself and Putin.  Left unstated may have been fears as to how Biden would have performed. Putin, for all of his mixed history with the concept of the media, is a fan of the give-and-take of press conferences, famously hosting an annual press conference which in 2020 ran for over four hours. Whatever happens to those who ask hostile questions after they leave the room, Putin has never shied away from facing them in person.

Joe Biden on the other hand ran a Presidential campaign almost entirely shielded from the press. He avoided unscripted events, and even dodged the second presidential debate. On occasions where he has performed unscripted, he has shown an unfortunate tendency to go off script, and to wander.

Yet if the Biden camp wished to avoid the post-summit press conferences becoming a competitive exercise they failed miserably. Rather than a joint press conference, the Biden camp agreed to two sequential ones, and then foolishly allowed Putin to go first. Putin, a man who enjoys the spectacle of press conferences, now was guaranteed a captive audience in the press corps who were obligated to remain until Biden came out, and an actual captive in the form of the President of the United States who was forced to literally remain in a room until Putin chose to stop speaking. And unsurprisingly, Putin made him wait. Rather than the 25-30 minutes agreed upon, Putin spoke for almost an hour.

What he spoke on seemed designed to mock the absent Biden, who, by refusing a joint appearance, had lost any chance to challenge Putin’s claims.

In response to a question about whether Russia would cease cyberwarfare, Putin stated that the leading perpetrators of cybercrime were the United States, followed by Canada, with Russia not even in the top ten. In effect, it was a “No,” denying that Russia was even involved.

When asked about military exercises around the Ukraine, Putin insisted Russia had the right to conduct exercises on its own territory, again denying that Biden even had the right to make any demands, much less that Putin had ever contemplated agreeing to them.

Asked about crackdowns on domestic opponents, Putin blamed the United States Senate for having passed legislation declaring Russia an “enemy,” rhetorically asking what that made political groups in Russia which took money from the United States?

As for cooperation on warrants for cybercriminals, Putin noted that Russia had issued extradition requests for 42 individuals in the United States, overwhelmingly opposition activists, and the US had acted on none.

For 55 minutes then, Putin revealed that Biden had received absolutely nothing in the summit. He did so not by explicitly saying he had rejected Biden’s demands, but by arguing that none of the issues Biden had raised were even legitimate. Either they did not exist, as with Russian cyberwarfare, or they were entirely matters of internal affairs. As such, according to Putin, there was nothing to disagree about in terms of issues, since he had explained to Biden that none of the issues Biden wanted to talk about in fact existed. The answer then to all of Biden’s objectives in the summit came through loud and clear from an often-smirking, sometimes laughing Putin. In effect, he declared, “Not now, and not ever.”

If Putin’s press conference was a diplomatic roasting of the United States and its President, Biden’s press conference was a disaster. A visibly irritated Biden stumbled onto stage, spending the first 11 minutes reading from a teleprompter, before attempting a clearly rushed response to Putin. It was unfortunate, rambling, and at one point Biden confused Putin with Donald Trump. After 20 minutes Biden attempted to take questions, before complaining first that he was supposed to have a list of who to call-on which he seemed to have misplaced, and then exploding at Kaitlin Collins of CNN, which was the equivalent of Putin exploding at Russia Today.

When Collins asked why he was so confident Putin would change his behavior, Biden responded “I’m not confident I’m going to change his behavior. What the hell? What do you do all the time?” before following up with “If you don’t understand that, you are in the wrong business.” Biden clearly intended to tell the reporter off for challenging him. The bane of the free press in Russia had stood up to questions, half from Western journalists, for 55 minutes. Biden barely lasted 25, of which more than half was scripted, before exploding at the network that gives him fawning coverage 24 hours a day.

We do not know the full content of the Biden-Putin conversations, but the dueling press conferences told us what did not happen.  Biden provided some hints that things may have gone even worse than implied by Putin’s victory lap. Biden mentioned turning over to the Russian President a list of 16 vital infrastructure targets within the United States which he suggested should be off limits to cyberattacks, a concession he expected attacks to continue, and the equivalent of a “please aim your future efforts here” sign. It may not be a coincidence that dozens of Airlines and global financial institutions found their websites mysteriously down upon Biden’s return to the United States.

Substantively, Joe Biden and the United States received nothing at Geneva. Geopolitically, and for that matter, on the world stage, the United States was humiliated. In fact, it is hard to think of any American President who has ever been treated in this manner since the founding of the country. Whether Biden could have gotten satisfaction from Putin is an open question. But the humiliation was entirely self-inflicted. And the United States is paying the price.

Daniel Roman is the pen name of a frequent commentator and lecturer on foreign policy and political affairs, both nationally and internationally. He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics.

 

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Mandy
Mandy
2 years ago

Putting Biden with Kamala in these positions was the doing of Obama. Shows Commie Obama is no better in this third term than he was before.

Jeannie
Jeannie
2 years ago

Biden has successfully made America the laughing stock of the the other nations. It started on his arrival when he took a reporter’s table and then Dr, Mrs First Lady Jill demanded loudly for him to “”come along” and he followed like a trained puppy, America has got to elect some Republicans next year. I don’t know who his handlers are but he sure isn’t governing himself. He can’t handle a question from the press that was not on his prompter. I think it may be Obama since he stayed in Washington.

Ron Howard
Ron Howard
2 years ago

What, replace him with Harris? She is even worse. At least Biden can blame senility for his ineptness, Kamala can’t. She is just a plain liar and stupid. Did you see how she insisted, when asked by a reporter if she planned to visit the border, “I did, I was there”. Then when asked when she said “I haven’t visited Europe either. What has that got to do with anything”.

Jennifer DeFillippo
Jennifer DeFillippo
2 years ago

I have read/heard/watched reports of this travesty of a “summit” and I have come to the conclusion that I cannot be a bit surprised by any of it.
Biden is a complete waste as far as “world leaders” go & the fact that he blew yet another chance to shine on the world stage should be a shock to no one.
How much scrambling around behind the scenes must there be even since before the election, to cover his a** every time he steps out of his bedroom?!?

Miranda DeGroot
Miranda DeGroot
2 years ago

This man is a joke. G7 group embraces Biden because they know now is a good time to ask for favors and Biden is ready to please. And Putin got a little help because now Putin knows which 16 institutions are very important for USA. Not sure about you., but in my experience as a parent; when a tell my rebellious children “don’t do that” they turned around and do it over and over with grin in their faces. Biden has almost 50 years of political experience but nothing good to show for. The only thing is clear; is the trail of corruption among the party and his own family. Sad that USA has to put up with this inept administration.

Hal
Hal
2 years ago

Humiliating, yes. But the real humiliation is the balloting system failed to show any integrity against the DemoncRat assault in stuffing the ballot boxes. Mail in ballots was, IMO, probably the greatest problem that allowed the abuse of counting phony ballots.

Karen
Karen
2 years ago

Good goin’ Biden. Keep up the good work. You will definitely go down! What a ignorant bas—d you are.

Kate Oshima
Kate Oshima
2 years ago

President Joe Bungler at it on the world stage.

Hal
Hal
2 years ago

Only incumbent National politicians and their immediate following are against it.

Mimi
Mimi
2 years ago

I’m wondering if any of the Dems are having second thoughts about the votes they cast for Biden? The only good thing I can say about Biden is, he makes President Trump look better and better. I’m paying close to a dollar a gallon more for gas, everything at the grocery store costs more, and Biden was a total disgrace. Even the Dems have got to admit, life was much better in America when Trump was in office.

Lois
Lois
2 years ago

Putin got a good laugh out of that meeting. Biden is a disgrace to the United States. God help America!

Sam
Sam
2 years ago

Yup. “(He) did what (he) came here to do.” And just look at what he have waiting (impatiently) in the on deck circle to replace him.

Red Hawk 1
Red Hawk 1
2 years ago

If O’Biden gave Russia our 16 most valuable sites not to attack, can you imagine what he has given China?

Art
Art
2 years ago

He does well on a leash, as long as no one tries to pet him or interact with him.

Rich Walton
Rich Walton
2 years ago

Biden is an embarrassment. He is doddering old fool and damn the Democrats and his family for putting him and our nation in this position. They had to cheat to win after savaging Trump on bullshit charges and negative press for over 4 years for this? Carter was a fool, Clinton a lying crook and Obama a socialist wimp and the worst President ever and now we have this clown. At least Barack can feel better about being the second worst President in our history and it’s not just Putin who made Biden look feckless and weak, every other world leader will do the same and America is paying the price. What the Democrat Party isn’t doing to destroy our nation our enemies will surely do.

Karen
Karen
2 years ago

Biden was looking to boost his numbers by this meeting with Putin? As far as I’m concerned, he flopped BIG TIME!!!! What a joke! The whole Dem party is a joke. I hope they go DOWN in November. Pray for the Reps.

Staber
Staber
2 years ago

The useful idiots who lick the puppet master’s hand see nothing wrong that the rest of the world has already passed harsh judgement on. Don’t look for consistent facts from US sources, look to select foreign sources.

John Munro
John Munro
2 years ago

The 2020 election being Frauded is an Enbarisment to the USA. People who could not win an election.

Rich
Rich
2 years ago

Putin is probably shaking in his boots over Biden’s “list” and comments. NOT!

Rich
Rich
2 years ago

The Democrats are trying to “shield” Biden from everything.

embarassment
embarassment
2 years ago

Biden the laughingstock of the world!!!

Dave Smith
Dave Smith
2 years ago

When you make Jimmy Carter look strong and competent as the leader of the free world you know you’re pathetic and a disgrace to America. At least Jimmy Carter is a good man, something Sippy Cup Joe isn’t. Sad that the democrat party has gone from “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” to “Isn’t she a pretty girl…oh, pudding!”

Mary
Mary
2 years ago

We can only hope that our judges stop all these Executive Orders this guy has tried to enact instead of trying to write laws

Dana Williams
Dana Williams
2 years ago

This is the worst President and Vice President in the history of our country.

Joseph Burke
Joseph Burke
2 years ago

Our enemies aren’t to be found overseas they are right here starting with the media, farcebook, twatter, and the like. Suckaturd should be tried for treason along with many others.

Joseph Burke
Joseph Burke
2 years ago

Next? Heels up Harris our new president. That whistling noise you hear in your ears? That is the sound of our country falling like a bomb to previously unobtainable new lows.
AUDIT ALL SWING STATE ELECTIONS!

Rob Edwards
Rob Edwards
2 years ago

Biden for over 50 years is a do NOTHING, tough talking liberal COWARD who was intimidated by the Russian. All you libs who allowed cheating to STEAL an election hoping for your land of utopia- hows that working for you! Remember this: Mr. Biden is NOT recognized nor accepted by a VAST MAJORITY of Americans. Your commander in CHEAT is a weak loud mouth who lacks any leadership skills and is an EMBARRASSMENT as representative of a once proud nation!
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aluminum head
aluminum head
2 years ago

( D ) the symbol of communism for the last 100 + years.

J. Farley
J. Farley
2 years ago

We got exactly what I expected, if you thought it would be any different, you were dreaming, take the cognitive test Joe , you owe it to the citizens of the USA.

Gunny Joe
Gunny Joe
2 years ago

Just waved a RED CAPE in the bulls face dropped the list of what to hit on the ground and then stumbled of stage left! This whole thing should not have taken place!

BAE
BAE
2 years ago

BIDEN and his administration make the US of America look like a joke and a weak nation. He is the worse thing that has happened in a long time. Riots they won’t show on TV, fake news everywhere, burning cities, illegal people from all over the world coming here and the lower middle classes are HURT the most. The destroyer President Biden!!!

Marilyn
Marilyn
2 years ago
  1. Obviously, Biden’s handlers didn’t want him up against Putin side by side, because it would have shown how weak Biden is. Putin held his press conference for almost 30 minutes while sleepy Joe didn’t last 15.
Kim
Kim
2 years ago

I need to watch more of the the videos of this so-called meeting with Putin. After seeing a few snippets of Biden’s senior moments, the word that kept coming to mind was—and the author said it—“mockery”. Putin has many talents, among them the ability to stifle the huge guffaws that must surely have been there.

And then Biden had that news conference…alone with his open book from which he called out pre-selected names and answered with scripted stupid answers. I mean, really. Is this our president?

D.P.
D.P.
2 years ago

And this is only the beginning……Biden and his ambassadors will replicate the process via men like Kerry, and others who will continue to throw the U.S. under the proverbial international bus…..rendering our friends as appendages and our enemies as superior. As yet, meetings with China, Iran, and N. Korea have not happened but expect the same. A superior international player, like Putin, et.al, leaves the U.S. with no strength, no leverage, no standing of consequence. The international community now has no American presence to call, let alone depend on or trust. It’s a loss-loss for this nation and its capacity to be an international force for good. We will now be seen as the “stupid Americans” and deservedly so in light of our leadership and gross mismanagement of all things international. Even small players will be emboldened to shame us. What a miserable situation we all now face.

Betty Cooper
Betty Cooper
2 years ago

This senile man is making us a laughing stock in the world! He is leaving us vulnerable to any terrorist out there looking for glory! He is creating one big mess that needs to be cleaned up quickly!

Felix
Felix
2 years ago

Thanks to MSM Biden’s job approval is still well over 50%.

Sherrylees
Sherrylees
2 years ago

biden is incapable of managing our country. Why can’t he be impeached because of incompetence. I believe he has no idea the mess he is creating.

Darwin Benedict
Darwin Benedict
2 years ago

It is a sad state of affairs that this country is in! All we can do at this point is to hope that all this will be turned around with Trump being reinstated in the next two months and get this country back on track. But in the mean time what is really happening behind the scenes with the demorats siphoning all the money they can and making laws for benefit not for the American People.

Frank
Frank
2 years ago

The democrats have put us in the position with biden to destroy the America we’ve always known…

Lorey
Lorey
2 years ago

It could’ve been worse. Obiden apologizing for trump the last four years. Then going on how he will help north Korea with their food & oil shortage..then like obummer have a military plane land there with a plane full of money for a missle treaty like iran. Like father like son obummer obiden

John Karkalis
John Karkalis
2 years ago

The mad haters tea table moved to the White House where spin is king.
A very merry unbirthday party to us all.

Phil Hammersley
Phil Hammersley
2 years ago

The Senile One is a worldwide JOKE! “Warning” Putin about cyber attacks? Putin could whip Joe with one hand behind his back! Joey is ALL TALK and NO action.
Europeans love him because he GIVES them stuff and asks for NOTHING in return.
Europeans didn’t love Trump but they feared and respected him!

Linda
Linda
2 years ago

Biden is a joke and an embarrassment to America.
The only reason he is in the position he’s in is because of his family’s money and an absolutely fraudulent election!

Brenda Blunt
Brenda Blunt
2 years ago

The USA has stronger abled people to be able to stand up to a bully, apparently, Biden is not one of them. Biden threw the USA under the bus!!

David B.
David B.
2 years ago

So now the whole world knows exactly what we’ve allowed to happen to ourselves. And ALL the “3-letter” agencies are going full-tilt to identify, round up, and persecute anyone & everyone who has supported Trump and/or Conservative causes! We have a virtual target on our backs- they have started a “Purge” and we are the prey.

TIM
TIM
2 years ago

The sad part about it is the “Emperor’s New Clothes” literally get shown to the world over and over and his Yes men (WH Staff) keeping telling him and the public (MSM) that he has the finest of apparel on. WE all know better!

Ramblin'Rogue
Ramblin'Rogue
2 years ago

Is anyone really surprised by this? We all knew Biden was gonna get buried alive on the world stage. He and Kamala are an embarrassment. They both showed their True colors and the Fake News can’t hide it!!

John Karkalis
John Karkalis
2 years ago

The image of a U.S President groveling before a thug ruling a nation with a GDP less than that of Texas leaves me speechless. A major case of the zits before the senior prom would be more welcome.
I should have followed my instincts and avoided any viewing of this diplomatic car wreck.
Don’t these guys know this is a zero sum game? Tsar Putin rises in stature while our hapless leader shrinks to the size of a soybean.
A few more summit meetings like this and we can pull down the shades, turn off the lights, and put a ” for sale” sign in the center of the Mall.
JFK had it about right when describing how the Soviets negotiate: “What’s ours is ours. What’s yours is negotiable “.
If I really said what I meant to say about this fiasco I would be slammed by AMAC’S potty language filter, and rightfully so.

John Correa
John Correa
2 years ago

They are extremely organized and have infiltrated our country, our education, our institutions, for over 100 years. Question: how organized are we, what organizations can we join to fight against this menace, why do we fight it overseas yet teach it in our schools, and what systems do we have in place, in and out of the government, to counter this Marxist, totalitarian, invasion and takeover of our country? Let me know so we can do something!!

Bonnie
Bonnie
2 years ago

This administration (if you can even call it that) has been an embarrassment from day 1. Joe is only getting worse (dementia is progressive) so we can only expect his interactions to get worse too. I sure hope we can get a new speaker of the house so we can start impeaching and getting rid of these losers.

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