Putin says Biden did not invite him to White House

President Biden did not extend an invitation for Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit the White House during their summit on Wednesday, Putin said at a news conference.

The Russian president did not invite Biden to visit him in Moscow, either, he said, according to an interpreter.

Putin last met with an American president on U.S. soil in 2015, when he attended the United Nations summit in New York City. Former President Trump invited Putin to Washington, D.C., in 2018, but the visit never materialized amid bipartisan pushback to the gesture.

Biden and Putin met in Geneva on Wednesday for roughly three hours, accompanied by staff. Putin held a news conference first, with Biden scheduled to hold his own later in the day.

Putin described the talks as “constructive,” according to an interpreter, and said there was no hostility between the two sides. 

Putin demurred when asked about Biden’s past comments that he is a “killer” without a soul, instead saying the two leaders do not require a deep personal connection to represent their countries.

“He’s very balanced. He’s very constructive. He’s very experienced. You can tell that at first glance,” Putin said, describing Biden to reporters. “He talked about his family, recalling them. He talked about what his mom said.”