Biden refutes the reasons for his refusal to hold a press conference with Putin next week

US President Joe Biden said on Sunday he chose not to hold a joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva next week because he did not want to be "distracted" over the two leaders' public appearances.

"This is not a contest about who can do better in a press conference or trying to embarrass each other, it's about clarifying the conditions necessary to have a better relationship with Russia," Biden told reporters during a press conference.

Biden noted, "I don't want to be distracted, did they shake hands, who talked the most, and so on."

"I think the best way to handle this is for him to meet, and to have our discussion. I know you have no doubts that I will be very frank with him about our concerns and I will make my point about how this meeting turned out and he will make it clear in his view how it turned out," the US president added.

And the White House revealed yesterday, Saturday, that Biden will participate in a solo press conference after the two leaders hold their first face-to-face meeting since Biden took office on Wednesday.