“There is no happiness in life,” Putin replied, quoting a quote from the writer Leo Tolstoy. “Happiness only passes in a flash, so cherish it.”

This is Putin’s answer when asked by reporters on Wednesday whether his first meeting with US President Joe Biden gave him hope.

Watch | John Bolton on the tense relations between the United States and Russia and China:

This is as hopeful as today’s Russia-US affairs. No one is talking about the Hollywood-style happy life.

Instead, these countries are focused on survival, like two characters caught in a destructive relationship, seeking cooperation as much as possible.

Biden made a similar assessment.

Not exactly’kumbaya’

Just like Putin’s reaction, if you squint hard enough, perhaps with the help of a telescope, you may find the weakest optimist.

“I said [Putin] …’This is not a kumbaya moment,'” Biden told reporters later.

“[I told him it’s not] It’s like,’Let’s hug and love each other. But to put us in a new cold war state, it is clearly not in the interests of anyone, whether it is your country or my country. “

Their meeting was the first time they tried to open up Election interference with Computer hacker; After Sanctions, This Expel diplomats, The Ukrainian invasion, and Poisoning, death with Imprisonment Putin’s competitors.

Expectations for the summit are low. The list of mutual grievances is long. Their encounter in Switzerland did not make a major breakthrough.

But they spoke.

They announced

The two leaders agreed to reappoint ambassadors to Washington and Moscow, which are currently vacant.

They also agreed to set up Safe conversation They will look for areas to ease the relationship in the next few months.

Putin even showed up on time.

This is a good start to the meeting with Putin, he sometimes Let the interlocutor wait for hours Move with one of his powers.

The Russian leader later described the meeting as professional and cordial. He admitted that it may take some time to be invited to the White House.

Biden didn’t even want to be on the same stage of the press conference with him. They spoke to reporters separately after the conference.

Watch | Putin talks about cybersecurity after meeting with Biden

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he and US President Joe Biden have discussed and reached an agreement on cybersecurity issues. 0:58

They avoid making explicit threats to each other in public.

Biden rarely talks publicly about the lingering bitterness of suspected Russians Invaded U.S. election infrastructure In 2016.

The hidden threat of ransomware in the United States?

If the Russian computer hacker continues to target the United States, he does make hints that may sound like retaliation

Biden said that he provided Putin with a list of 16 types of infrastructure that should be banned from hackers-including water plants and energy plants.

Biden said that if negotiations with Russia go smoothly in the next few months, there may be some consensus on cyber security.

However, if Russian criminal groups continue to launch attacks, like the attacks that paralyzed the colonial oil pipeline and recently caused a gas shortage in the United States, Biden mentioned an area where Russia may face destructive attacks.

He said he asked Putin what he would think if the ransomware attack destroyed the pipeline of the Russian oil industry, the lifeline of the Russian economy.

He said Putin replied: “This is very important.”

However, some domestic critics of Biden pointed out that his stance on the energy pipeline issue will only make Russia more daring.

In the House of Representatives, Republican Steve Scarlis said that Biden was struggling to stifle Keystone XL, a pipeline project from Canada, but did not try to stop one. Freshman from Russia, Beixi 2.

Putin’s preferred action: “Whataboutism”

Peter RoveA former George W. Bush White House official and now a foreign policy analyst said that the upcoming Russia-Germany pipeline will increase Putin’s power.

Rough pointed out that Nord Stream 2 will enable Russia’s natural gas exports to bypass Ukraine, causing the country to lose US$2 billion in revenue and 2% of its total GDP each year.

“If you think this is just an economic project, you are definitely a fool,” he said at a panel meeting hosted by the Washington-based Hudson Institute this week.

Biden gave up US sanctions aimed at blocking the project on the grounds that the project is close to completion and will be completed anyway, and because it is valued by important ally Germany.

The leader’s press release gave people a glimpse of toxic bilateral dynamics.

Putin made it clear that he does not accept the eroded state of affairs. He answers any questions about Russia’s misconduct with a pair of fire hoses.

He invaded Ukraine? Putin retorted, what about American militarism? He said that Russia did not send troops to the doorsteps of Americans, while the United States and NATO have soldiers in Eastern Europe. Putin believes this is a threat.

A cyber attack from Russia? Putin said, what about all the cyber attackers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America?

Killing and imprisoning political opponents?Putin Refusal of reference The name of Alexei Navalny. But Putin said, what about the police killing African Americans? Or arrest the mob who attacked the Capitol on January 6.or One of the thugs was killed?

“A participant was shot on the spot,” Putin said, alluding to the death of Ashli ??Babbitt. “[She was] unarmed. ”

Biden scolded reporters angrily: “What the hell is going on?”

The intense exchanges between Biden and a reporter showed that his expectations for this relationship are limited.

A reporter asked Biden what made him so confident that Putin’s behavior would change-the president attacked her.

“Shall I go?” Biden snapped. “When did I say that I was confident?”

When a CNN reporter pressed and asked him why he described the meeting as constructive, Biden replied: “If you don’t understand this, then you are wrong.”

Biden also refuted the Russian president’s attempt to compare the treatment of political dissidents in the two countries, calling the comparison “ridiculous.”

Some Russian analysts in the United States praised the dialogue as a welcome step, even if only to help ease the situation.

One such analyst is Fiona HillWorked in the Trump White House and was a star witness in the first Trump impeachment investigation.

the other is Plus aesthetics Kathryn Stoner has published a new book on Russia. Earlier this week, she and Hill appeared in a think tank group, and they shared their moderate expectations for the summit.

What’s next

They said that part of the problem is that Putin does not actually value good relations with the West. He gains political benefits from his hostility with the West, and it is unlikely that he will change much.

However, they agreed that there may be some possibilities for improving the relationship, such as arms control.

Stoner said at a panel discussion hosted by the Brookings Institution: “Russia under Putin does not want stability and predictability in many areas-this is a powerful tool for them, and it is unpredictable.”

“But in some areas, they may need predictability.”

As for Tolstoy, happiness may not be the goal here.

It may have been expressed by another character living in the century just past, in another quote of uncertain origin.As Winston Churchill Say: It’s better to meet each other than to fight.