Vladimir Putin described Joe Biden as an “experienced statesman,” and he contrasted the current US president from his predecessor, Donald Trump.

“He is very different from President Trump,” Putin said.

 In a wide-ranging question and answer session he said the "pragmatic" talks with Joe Biden on some issues had been quite constructive.

He said they had discussed strategic nuclear stability and that both countries would explore changes to the recently extended New Start arms control treaty.

President Putin described Joe Biden as an "experienced statesman" and said he was "very different from President Trump”.

He said they had "committed to discussions" on cyber security. Putin also said Washington's concerns over Russian militarisation of the Arctic were unfounded.

Taking a question from CNN, Vladimir Putin was asked whether the talks between him and Joe Biden were hostile in nature.

“I think there was no hostility. Quite the contrary,” Putin said, according to the translation of his comments.

The Russian president insisted the talks were in fact “quite constructive,” with both sides showing a “willingness to understand one another”.

Putin added that he and Biden agreed to “begin consultations” on cybersecurity. The White House had indicated Biden would raise the issue of recent cyberattacks against major corporations during his meeting with Putin.

Putin says he and Biden agreed ambassadors should return to posts
Vladimir Putin is now holding his solo press conference in Geneva, taking questions from Russian reporters after his summit with Joe Biden.

The Russian president told the media that he and Biden had agreed their ambassadors should return to their respective posts and resume their diplomatic duties.

The Russian ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, and the US ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, had been in their home countries for the past several months because of heightened tensions between the two nations.