Biden-Putin Personal Summit Reportedly Proposed for 2022

Nov. 30, 2021 (EIRNS)—The Washington Post reported yesterday that “Washington has also floated the possibility of an in-person summit between Biden and Putin in the first half of 2022, according to people familiar with the matter.... The potential meeting was broached by CIA Director William J. Burns in his visit to Moscow earlier this month, they said.” The Post, among other media, including from Russia, are suggesting a likely virtual meeting before the end of the year.

This recalls the reaction of the Biden Administration early this year to an actual Russian deployment of forces close to Ukraine borders, along with a public warning by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about two U.S. warships entering the Black Sea. On the one hand, that reaction was to propose a summit, which occurred virtually. On the other, to throw all kinds of advanced weapons into Ukraine, including drones, missile defense systems, electronic jamming equipment, etc. The Post article, “Threat of Russian Invasion of Ukraine Tests Biden Administration,” is otherwise a list of threats against Russia from members of Congress and think-tanks.

One thing President Putin might propose in such a summit was indicated during his participation in the online plenary session of “Russia Calling! Investment Forum” hosted annually by VTB Capital: The issue of Afghanistan financial reserves seized by the U.S. Treasury. “It is necessary to help the Afghan people, at least to unblock Afghan money deposited with Western banks, first of all in the United States,” Putin was quoted by TASS as saying. “It is necessary to unblock them, to give people an opportunity to resolve basic problems. At least ... unblock to purposefully resolve humanitarian problems: to buy medical equipment, medicines, to support children. It is possible to do it. This money will not go to buy weapons, the more so as the Taliban ... don’t need weapons. The Taliban has weapons worth billions of dollars, which have been abandoned there.”

The President stressed that the current situation in Afghanistan is very difficult, and urged for “looking a step ahead,” rather than fixating on the Taliban per se.