Russian Security Manhandles U-S Journalists

Biden, Putin seem amused (Reuters photo)

President Biden watched in apparent amusement Wednesday as Russian security officials shoved US reporters at his high-stakes summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, Switzerland.

The NY Post reports the scuffle drowned out most of Biden’s opening remarks, including his declaration that both Russia and the United States are “great powers,” and it continued as Biden nodded in response to a question about whether he trusts Putin, which Biden aides promptly walked back.

The chaos broke out just before reporters entered the Villa de la Grange to observe the only scheduled joint public remarks from Biden and Putin. Russian officials reportedly joined the melee indoors as reporters jostled for the best spot.

“Journalists pushed and shoved, yelling at each other to move but no one did. After just a minute or two, Russian security pulled the red rope separating the media from the leaders back to try to keep them away from the presidents,” journalist Antia Kumar of Politico wrote in a White House pool report.

“Russian security yelled at journalists to get out and began pushing journalists. Journalists and White House officials screamed back that the Russian security should stop touching us. Your pooler was pushed multiple times, nearly to the ground, as many poolers tripped over the red rope, which was now almost to the ground.”

Kumar wrote that “[b]oth presidents watched and listened to the media scuffle in front of them. They appeared amused by the scene. At one point, Biden leaned over and spoke to the interpreter and smiled.”

Scene from the fracas earlier at the Biden-Putin summit here in Geneva, with Russian security forces pushing me out while President Biden looks on

Photo: @b_smialowski pic.twitter.com/STkXXXhvU6

— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) June 16, 2021

AP reporter Jonathan Lemire posted a photo of the scene, writing, “Scene from the fracas earlier at the Biden-Putin summit here in Geneva, with Russian security forces pushing me out while President Biden looks on.”