Putin-Biden Summit Estimated to Cost $10 mn

Photo for illustration purposes.

The cost of organizing the June Russia-U.S. summit has been estimated at $10 million by the Swiss canton of Geneva. According to Emmanuel Cueno, the head of the region’s leadership’s press office, the sum might rise by 10-15%, Kommersant reports.

“As you are may know, these are merely early estimates; the final figures may easily grow by 10-15%. At the end of September, when the calculations are finished, they will be forwarded to the federal authorities,” Cueno told Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

At the request of a Socialist Party delegate, the Geneva State Council had earlier released preliminary cost estimates for the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden. The security group was given a budget of 5.2 million francs ($5.6 million).

This relates to the cantonal police’s activity, as well as security services from adjacent cantons, as well as their lodging and transportation. The expenses of enlisting the military and civil protection services are not included in these figures. The federal police will cover a portion of the expenditures.

A single day’s worth of retail work in the summit’s security cordon cost 518,000 francs ($556,000). Protocol services received a further 223,000 francs ($239,000). The cost of transportation and catering for journalists at the summit will be covered by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, which will spend 3 million francs ($3.2 million).

On June 16, Russia and the United States met in Geneva for a meeting. The presidents met to discuss cybersecurity, regional problems, commercial relations, and Arctic cooperation.