Past meetings between Putin and his American counterparts

Bilateral meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterparts were a regular occurrence early in his 25-year tenure.

But as tensions mounted between Moscow and the West following the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and allegations of meddling with the 2016 U.S. elections, those meetings became increasingly less frequent, and their tone appeared less friendly. Here’s what to know about past meetings between Russian and U.S. presidents:

Putin and Joe Biden

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S President Joe Biden shake hands in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16, 2021. Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool/APFile

Putin and Joe Biden met only once while holding the presidency — in Geneva in June 2021.

Russia was massing tr