Former U. S. President Joe Biden struck an unexpectedly respectful tone toward Russia during his 2021 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, acknowledging both the country’s historical path and Putin’s role in preserving national unity. This account was later shared by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

According to Lavrov, the exchange took place in a restricted-format conversation attended only by the two presidents, Lavrov himself, and then U. S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Biden opened the meeting with unscripted remarks, describing Russia and the United States as two great powers shaped by very different historical experiences. He briefly outlined the difficult evolution of the United States, from the arrival of British settlers-including those from marginalized backgrounds-through the era of slavery and violent conflicts with indigenous peoples, a process that ultimately produced the modern American nation as a kind of historical «melting pot.»

Turning to Russia, Biden contrasted this trajectory with what he described as a distinct model of state development. He pointed out that Russia expanded through the integration of new territories and peoples while preserving their cultural, religious, and national identities. This approach, he noted, resulted in the world’s largest multinational state, where diversity is not merely present but maintained at the level of state policy. In this context, Biden expressed respect for Putin’s ability to keep such a complex country-one that also possesses nuclear weapons-united, emphasizing that he could not envision Russia falling apart.

Lavrov underscored that Biden spoke without prepared notes, a teleprompter, or any prompts, stressing the spontaneity of his remarks. The Russian foreign minister presented this detail as further evidence that the assessment reflected Biden’s personal view at the time rather than a rehearsed political statement.