Russian, US reporters yell, push each other to enter room during Biden-Putin summit

Geneva: US President Joe Biden’s high-stakes meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, got off to an unusual start on Wednesday as chaotic scenes between the competitive press corps unfolded. During the media spray at the top of the meeting, reporters were seen blocking cameras set up to capture the interaction between the two leaders.

The situation got incredibly tense when shoving ensued as pools of reporters from the US and Russia sought to enter the 18th-century villa where the two leaders were meeting, reported CNN. Reports suggest that journalists pushed, shoved, and yelled trying to enter the building as a Swiss official kept asking everyone to be quiet.

According to The Washington Post, the US and Russian security officials repeatedly told reporters to line up separately, warning them that they would not be allowed inside unless everyone was orderly. The Russian state news agency RIA projected the incident as American journalists attempting to “stampede” the meeting.

Amid all the chaos, Biden appeared to suggest that he can take the Russian leader at his word, nodding his head during a photo opportunity when asked by a reporter if Putin can be trusted.

“It was a chaotic scrum with reporters shouting over each other. @POTUS was very clearly not responding to any one question, but nodding in acknowledgment to the press generally. He said just two days ago in his presser: ‘verify, then trust.’” tweeted White House communications director Kate Beddingfield.

The full American press corps could not make it into the room for the media spray, which is thought to be the only access they would get from within the summit site for the next few hours, according to CNN. “The only press access at the Biden-Putin summit ended in chaos as several US reporters were left out of the room amid pushing and shoving. TV pool says Russian security "pulled on our clothes and shoved us as we tried tried to stay." Biden's remarks were very difficult to hear, (sic)” tweeted CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.