This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2021/jun/14/joe-biden-nato-europe-turkey-president-erdogan-live
The article has changed 23 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| Joe Biden meets Nato leaders and Turkish president Erdoğan – US politics live | Joe Biden meets Nato leaders and Turkish president Erdoğan – US politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| President continues European trip with summit in Brussels – follow all the day’s politics news live | President continues European trip with summit in Brussels – follow all the day’s politics news live |
| Vladimir Putin has refused to give any guarantee that the opposition leader Alexei Navalny will get out of prison alive, saying his continued detention was not his decision and noting the poor state of medical care in Russian jails. | |
| In an extended and testy interview with NBC News before Putin’s Geneva summit with Joe Biden, the Russian president deflected a string of allegations about his government’s role in cyber-attacks on the west. He also fended off questions about his government’s human rights record by making counter-allegations against the US. | |
| Navalny was the victim of poisoning with the Russian-made nerve agent novichok and then jailed for more than two years. He faces further prosecution, suggesting the Kremlin is ready to extend his jail term. His political movement was outlawed last week as part of a wider suppression of opposition groups. | |
| Asked whether he could guarantee that Navalny would be released alive, Putin replied: “Look, such decisions in this country are not made by the president. They’re made by the court whether or not to set somebody free. | |
| “As far as the health, all individuals who are in prison, that is something that the administration of the specific prison or penitentiary establishment is responsible for. And there are medical facilities in penitentiaries that are perhaps not in the best condition. And they are the ones whose responsibility it is.” | |
| Update: there is still no sign of Joe Biden in the room where he was supposed to start holding his press conference nearly two hours ago. | |
| The US press pool is still waiting for the president to take reporters’ questions after meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan today on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Brussels. | |
| The blog will have updates whenever Biden does start speaking, so stay tuned. | |
| The Guardian’s Edward Helmore reports: | The Guardian’s Edward Helmore reports: |
| Reality Winner, a former intelligence contractor convicted of leaking a report about Russian interference in the US election in 2016, has been released from prison. | Reality Winner, a former intelligence contractor convicted of leaking a report about Russian interference in the US election in 2016, has been released from prison. |
| Winner’s attorney, Alison Grinter Allen, made the announcement via Twitter, saying the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor had been released into a residential re-entry programme for good behavior. | Winner’s attorney, Alison Grinter Allen, made the announcement via Twitter, saying the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor had been released into a residential re-entry programme for good behavior. |
| In a statement, Allen said: “We are relieved and hopeful. Her release is not the result of the pardon or compassionate release process, but rather the time earned through exemplary behavior while incarcerated.” | In a statement, Allen said: “We are relieved and hopeful. Her release is not the result of the pardon or compassionate release process, but rather the time earned through exemplary behavior while incarcerated.” |
| Allen said Winner was still barred from making public statements, and she and her family had asked for privacy “during the transition process as they work to heal the trauma of incarceration”. | Allen said Winner was still barred from making public statements, and she and her family had asked for privacy “during the transition process as they work to heal the trauma of incarceration”. |
| The US press pool has moved into the auditorium where Joe Biden will soon hold his press conference at Nato headquarters in Brussels. | The US press pool has moved into the auditorium where Joe Biden will soon hold his press conference at Nato headquarters in Brussels. |
| According to the latest pool report, there are at least 100 journalists filling the auditorium seats, which are spaced about three feet apart. | According to the latest pool report, there are at least 100 journalists filling the auditorium seats, which are spaced about three feet apart. |
| The president is expected to start speaking at any moment, so stay tuned. | The president is expected to start speaking at any moment, so stay tuned. |
| The US press pool was finally let in to the room where Joe Biden and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan were meeting, after waiting nearly two hours. | The US press pool was finally let in to the room where Joe Biden and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan were meeting, after waiting nearly two hours. |
| Biden was seated at a table with secretary of state Antony Blinken, defense secretary Lloyd Austin and national security adviser Jake Sullivan. | Biden was seated at a table with secretary of state Antony Blinken, defense secretary Lloyd Austin and national security adviser Jake Sullivan. |
| “We had a very good meeting,” Biden said of his conversation with Erdoğan. | “We had a very good meeting,” Biden said of his conversation with Erdoğan. |
| When a reporter thought he had missed some of what Biden said, he asked the president to repeat himself. “I didn’t say anything,” Biden replied. | When a reporter thought he had missed some of what Biden said, he asked the president to repeat himself. “I didn’t say anything,” Biden replied. |
| The US president is expected to soon hold a press conference, so stay tuned. | The US president is expected to soon hold a press conference, so stay tuned. |
| Boris Johnson has announced a four-week delay to the final lockdown easing and a speeding up of second vaccine doses, saying the extra time could prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths. | Boris Johnson has announced a four-week delay to the final lockdown easing and a speeding up of second vaccine doses, saying the extra time could prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths. |
| No 10 said the data was now clear that two doses of the vaccine were needed to combat the new Delta variant and said it was right to allow more time to give millions more people second doses. Johnson slashed the interval between the first and second jabs from 12 weeks to eight for the over-40s, a step which has already been taken for older adults. | No 10 said the data was now clear that two doses of the vaccine were needed to combat the new Delta variant and said it was right to allow more time to give millions more people second doses. Johnson slashed the interval between the first and second jabs from 12 weeks to eight for the over-40s, a step which has already been taken for older adults. |
| Hospitalisations could hit the peak of the first wave if step 4 of the roadmap proceeds, according to modelling by the government’s SPI-M committee. The data presented to ministers suggested that because vaccine effectiveness increases significantly after two doses, thousands of deaths could be prevented by delay. | Hospitalisations could hit the peak of the first wave if step 4 of the roadmap proceeds, according to modelling by the government’s SPI-M committee. The data presented to ministers suggested that because vaccine effectiveness increases significantly after two doses, thousands of deaths could be prevented by delay. |
| “At some stage we are going to have to live with this virus, as we do with flu, but when we have effective vaccines, and a variant that needs two doses for maximum protection, it is right to allow more time to save lives,” a Downing St spokesman said. | “At some stage we are going to have to live with this virus, as we do with flu, but when we have effective vaccines, and a variant that needs two doses for maximum protection, it is right to allow more time to save lives,” a Downing St spokesman said. |
| “These are preventable deaths. That’s a very important point – they can be prevented. Because we have the vaccine program. So that’s why it is right to take this approach.” | “These are preventable deaths. That’s a very important point – they can be prevented. Because we have the vaccine program. So that’s why it is right to take this approach.” |
| Here’s where the day stands so far: | Here’s where the day stands so far: |
| Joe Biden is now meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Brussels. US-Turkish relations have been particularly strained in recent months, after Biden became the first American president to officially recognize the genocide of Armenians by Ottoman troops. | Joe Biden is now meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Brussels. US-Turkish relations have been particularly strained in recent months, after Biden became the first American president to officially recognize the genocide of Armenians by Ottoman troops. |
| The Nato communique warned that the rising power of China presents “systemic challenges to the rules-based international order”. “We remain concerned with China’s frequent lack of transparency and use of disinformation,” the Nato document says. “We call on China to uphold its international commitments and to act responsibly in the international system, including in the space, cyber, and maritime domains, in keeping with its role as a major power.” Biden reportedly pushed for a mention of China in the communique as he met with Nato allies in recent days. | The Nato communique warned that the rising power of China presents “systemic challenges to the rules-based international order”. “We remain concerned with China’s frequent lack of transparency and use of disinformation,” the Nato document says. “We call on China to uphold its international commitments and to act responsibly in the international system, including in the space, cyber, and maritime domains, in keeping with its role as a major power.” Biden reportedly pushed for a mention of China in the communique as he met with Nato allies in recent days. |
| John Demers, the assistant attorney general of the National Security Division, is reportedly leaving the justice department. According to the New York Times, the departure of Demers, who was nominated by Donald Trump, was in the works for months, but his exit comes amid intensified scrutiny of the department because of the records seizure of top Democrats and reporters as part of a leaks investigation. | John Demers, the assistant attorney general of the National Security Division, is reportedly leaving the justice department. According to the New York Times, the departure of Demers, who was nominated by Donald Trump, was in the works for months, but his exit comes amid intensified scrutiny of the department because of the records seizure of top Democrats and reporters as part of a leaks investigation. |
| The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned. | The blog will have more coming up, so stay tuned. |
| Joe Biden is now meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Brussels. | Joe Biden is now meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Brussels. |
| Erdoğan’s office shared photos from the meeting, although the US press pool has not yet been let in to the room where the two leaders are holding their talks. | Erdoğan’s office shared photos from the meeting, although the US press pool has not yet been let in to the room where the two leaders are holding their talks. |
| The press pool will likely have a chance to shout a few questions at the two presidents when they are let in to the room, and the White House will later release a readout of the meeting. | The press pool will likely have a chance to shout a few questions at the two presidents when they are let in to the room, and the White House will later release a readout of the meeting. |
| Stay tuned. | Stay tuned. |
| Joe Biden wants to create international blocs of democratic nations to act as a counterweight to China’s authoritarian system and its fast-growing economic and military might, and the topic was also high on the agenda at the weekend’s G7 meeting. | Joe Biden wants to create international blocs of democratic nations to act as a counterweight to China’s authoritarian system and its fast-growing economic and military might, and the topic was also high on the agenda at the weekend’s G7 meeting. |
| “There is a growing recognition over the last couple years that we have new challenges,” Biden said in brief remarks made shortly after his arrival in Brussels for the Nato summit. “We have Russia, which is acting in a way that is not consistent with what we had hoped, and we have China.” | “There is a growing recognition over the last couple years that we have new challenges,” Biden said in brief remarks made shortly after his arrival in Brussels for the Nato summit. “We have Russia, which is acting in a way that is not consistent with what we had hoped, and we have China.” |
| Other countries have highlighted the importance of striking a balance. Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, said as he arrived at the gathering: “I think when it comes to China, I don’t think anybody around the table today wants to descend into a new cold war.” | Other countries have highlighted the importance of striking a balance. Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, said as he arrived at the gathering: “I think when it comes to China, I don’t think anybody around the table today wants to descend into a new cold war.” |
| Jens Stoltenberg, Nato’s secretary general, said it was important to engage with Beijing “on issues like climate change, arms control”. But, he added, “China’s military buildup, growing influence and coercive behaviour also poses some challenges to our security”. | Jens Stoltenberg, Nato’s secretary general, said it was important to engage with Beijing “on issues like climate change, arms control”. But, he added, “China’s military buildup, growing influence and coercive behaviour also poses some challenges to our security”. |
| As expected, the newly released Nato summit communique indicates that leaders view China’s rising power as a security threat. | As expected, the newly released Nato summit communique indicates that leaders view China’s rising power as a security threat. |
| “China’s stated ambitions and assertive behaviour present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to Alliance security. We are concerned by those coercive policies which stand in contrast to the fundamental values enshrined in the Washington Treaty,” the Nato document says. | “China’s stated ambitions and assertive behaviour present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to Alliance security. We are concerned by those coercive policies which stand in contrast to the fundamental values enshrined in the Washington Treaty,” the Nato document says. |
| “We remain concerned with China’s frequent lack of transparency and use of disinformation. We call on China to uphold its international commitments and to act responsibly in the international system, including in the space, cyber, and maritime domains, in keeping with its role as a major power.” | “We remain concerned with China’s frequent lack of transparency and use of disinformation. We call on China to uphold its international commitments and to act responsibly in the international system, including in the space, cyber, and maritime domains, in keeping with its role as a major power.” |
| National security adviser Jake Sullivan previewed this language yesterday, telling reporters, “China will feature in the communiqué really in a more robust way than we’ve ever seen before.” | National security adviser Jake Sullivan previewed this language yesterday, telling reporters, “China will feature in the communiqué really in a more robust way than we’ve ever seen before.” |
| Asked about reports that Joe Biden pushed for the mention of China in the communique, Sullivan said, “There is a broad view that China represents a significant challenge to the world’s democracies on a number of different dimensions, and that we need a common agenda that is mostly affirmative but also has elements where we are going to stand up and counter and compete.” | Asked about reports that Joe Biden pushed for the mention of China in the communique, Sullivan said, “There is a broad view that China represents a significant challenge to the world’s democracies on a number of different dimensions, and that we need a common agenda that is mostly affirmative but also has elements where we are going to stand up and counter and compete.” |