Biden Defends Not Holding Joint Presser With Putin: ‘This Is Not a Contest About Who Can Do Better’ In Front of the Media

President Joe Biden defended his decision to not have a joint press conference with Vladimir Putin when he meets with the Russian president later this week.

Biden held a press conference at the conclusion of his time at the G7 summit, and he when he opened up to questions, he was asked about Putin’s assessment that U.S.-Russian relations are at a low point. Associated Press’ Jonathan Lemire also noted, “You have said previously and in the ru- up to the summit that you’d be unafraid to call out Russia’s disruptive actions like cyberhacks, Ukraine, election interference, but you’re not having a joint press conference with Putin. Why not take a chance to stand side-by-side to him with the world watching?”

Biden said he agrees that diplomatic relations with Russia are at a low point, and that U.S. intelligence has implicated Putin in disruptive actions against the United States. In terms of not holding a joint press conference, Biden said “this is not a contest about who can do better in front of a press conference and try to embarrass each other. It is about making myself very clear what the conditions are to get a better relationship with Russia.”

The bottom line is I think the best way to deal with this is for he and I had meet, and he and I have to have our discussion. I know you don’t doubt that I’ll be very straightforward with him about our concerns. And I will make clear my view of how that meeting turned out and he’ll make clear from his perspective how it turned out. But I don’t want to get into being diverted by did they shake hands, who talked the most and the rest.

Watch above, via CNN.