As it happened: Putin & Biden meet for first time since US president took office to discuss stability, hacking & Covid-19 (PHOTOS)

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his American counterpart, Joe Biden, on Wednesday at a historic manor in the Swiss city of Geneva for talks as part of the US leader's first foreign visit since taking office in January.

The two leaders, along with Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Washington’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken, sat down behind closed doors to discuss a range of geopolitical issues. The agenda included the Covid-19 pandemic, the situation in Eastern Ukraine, allegations of Russian meddling in recent US elections and the treatment of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny.

Speaking to reporters in a press conference later on Wednesday, Putin hailed the talks as “constructive” and praised Biden as a “statesman.”

A plane carrying Russian President Vladimir Putin lands at Geneva Airport. June 16, 2021. © Sputnik / Sergey Bobylev

Switzerland's President Guy Parmelin, center, welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and US President Joe Biden ahead of their meeting at the Villa La Grange in Geneva, Switzerland. June 16, 2021. © Sputnik / Sergey Bobylev

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden, right, shake hands before a meeting at the Villa La Grange in Geneva, Switzerland. June 16, 2021. © Sputnik / Mikhail Metzel

Russian President Vladimir Putin, centre right, and US President Joe Biden, centre left, attend a meeting at the Villa La Grange in Geneva, Switzerland. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is at left, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, is at right. June 16, 2021. © Sputnik / Mikhail Metzel

Russian President Vladimir Putin at a press conference following talks with US President Joe Biden in Geneva. © Sputnik / Michael Metzel

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden attend the Russian-American talks at the Villa La Grange in Geneva, Switzerland. Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, is at right. © Sputnik / Michael Metzel