President Joe Biden 's and Vladimir Putin 's summit began in chaos on Wednesday as journalists pushed to get inside to documen...
President Joe Biden's and Vladimir Putin's summit began in chaos on Wednesday as journalists pushed to get inside to document the historic event with many of them being left outside.
Part of the small pool of reporters that travel with the president at all times was left outside. The reporters were pushed and shoved by security officials and Russian media, according to the pool report of the event.
'There's an extremely chaotic scene at the door,' the pool reporter traveling with President Biden reported.
It was just as chaotic inside with reporters pushing, shoving and shouting at each other. Two American reporters said Russian officials pulled at their clothes as they tried to shove them from the room. One American reporter said she nearly fell down because of the pandemonium.
A reporter stationed outside the Villa la Grange tweeted a photo of a crush of media trying to get in the building, where the two leaders were meeting in an ornate, 18th century library.
'Chaotic scene outside the villa where Putin and Biden are meeting. Russian reporters are jostling for position and U.S. officials are telling them to stand back,' the Wall Street Journal's Andrew Restuccia wrote.
A security officer indicates to the media to step back as (from left) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US President Joe Biden, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Security members push the press out as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Biden look on
Security personnel corral members of the press pools covering President Joe Biden's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin
Several American reporters were left outside the summit in the chaos
US and Russian security along with Swiss government officials tried to bring order to the chaos but there was much screaming and shouting.
White House officials repeatedly tried to get the American media inside, saying that the American and Russian delegations had agreed on the number of journalists allowed in the room: 13 on each side.
Only nine American reporters made it in.
Reports from inside the room described the scuffle that took place as reporters jockeyed for position while the two presidents watched with a smile.
The chaos played out on television, with video showing aides trying to push reporters back, journalists getting in each others' way and into the camera frame, and lots of shouting.
One photographer got in the shot of the television camera as a journalist tried to get him to move so they could get a clear shot.
'Can you move? Because I can't get a shot of both of them,' the camera crew said.
'Can you move? Because we can't get a shot,' the person repeated.
'No, I can't do that,' the photographer replied.
As the arguing continued, officials stepped in.
'Go away please,' one Swiss official was heard saying. 'Go away.'
Russian security pulled the red rope separating the media from the leaders back to try to keep reporters away from the presidents. Russian security yelled at journalists to get out and began pushing them.
Members of the media tripped over all the cords and equipment in the room as the event unfolded.
Both the reporters and White House officials screamed back that the Russian security should stop touching the members of the press.
Watching it all were Biden and Putin with their respective translators at their sides.
Also there were Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
It was so packed, with officials and press shouting over each other, it was hard to hear what President Biden said to Putin.
At the beginning of the summit, Swiss President Guy Parmelin welcomed the two leaders to 'the city of peace.'
The two leaders shook hands upon their arrival at the villa.
Biden extended his hand first as the pair shook - a marked contrast to the elbow bumps Biden exchanged with several allies at the G7 - and they smiled for the cameras outside the Villa de La Grange before heading inside.
The event was set up not to have public comments by either man.
Once they were situated in the library, Putin could be seen sitting back in his chair, tapping his hand against his wooden armrest and looking bored while they waited for a press photographers scrum to capture images.
Amid the commotion with the press, Biden looked toward Blinken, and the diplomat scribbled notes in a notebook.
The first session between the two leaders lasted 93 minutes.
Then they moved to a meeting with a larger US and Russian delegation.
The second session saw American and Russian officials facing off on different sides of a long table, American and Russian flags in the room. The day will end with separate press conferences - Putin going first and then Biden following.
Members of the media scramble to get into the villa where Biden and Putin were meeting
Putin looks down at the floor during an awkward first moment with Biden ahead of five hours of gruelling chat to help salvage relations between Moscow and Washington
Putin smiles with Biden as the pair shake hands ahead of their highly-anticipated summit to address failing relations
Biden's handshake with Putin was a marked contrast to the contrived elbow bumps exchanged between world leaders at the G7 to show their concern for Covid-19 last week
Putin and Biden exchange warm glances with each other as the world's media watches on ahead of five hours of talks which the US President has promised will include tough topics such as Russian hacking and the poisoning of dissidents
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was seated to Biden's right, taking notes. To Biden's left was Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, seated with his hands between his legs.
Putin's motorcade rolls through Geneva on Wednesday. Street lights for Putin's route on the brief drive to the villa were flashing yellow, with a main thoroughfare along the lake completely cleared of traffic for the summit
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