The Biden-Poutine summit confirmed its seat: they will meet at Villa La Grange in Geneva

La Villa de La Grange, a mansion built in the 18th century with a splendid view of Lake Geneva, It will host the summit between Russian Presidents Vladimir Putin and US Presidents Joe Biden on the 16th, Swiss authorities confirmed today.

The Swiss Foreign Ministry and the cantonal government of Geneva have confirmed the scenario on their official Twitter accounts, although the chosen location was already an open secret, given the major security operation deployed in this area since the beginning of this week.

The public parks of La Grange and Eaux-Vives, neighbors to each other and where the town is located, have been closed since the start of this week for “exceptional reasons”, surrounded by metal fences, and guarded by a large police operation, responsible for civil protection and private security agents.

The manor house of La Grange (“La Grange” in French) was built by a banking family, the Lullins, although its last private owner was businessman William Favre, who donated it to the town in 1917. . The park is one of Geneva’s favorite places to relax, especially at weekends, even if the villa is only accessible by appointment, during guided tours offered by the local tourist office.

The city of Geneva also indicated that during the summit, traffic will be cut off in all streets on the shores of Lake Geneva, as well as those surrounding the parks of La Grange and Eaux-Vives, according to local television RTS reports today. .

It is one of the busiest districts of the city, for which the authorities have apologized in advance for the problems that the summit can cause to the mobility of Genevans, who are asked to take priority on the day of the summit. telecommuting as much as possible.

The security perimeter also includes the western end of Switzerland’s largest lake, where Geneva has ports for yachts and sailboats, tourist sites, lake beaches and swimming areas, bars and restaurants.

On the other hand, Geneva is expected to issue an executive order banning demonstrations of opposition to US and Russian policies on the day of the summit, RTS noted.

Geneva also hosted, in 1985, the first summit between then-US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, although on this occasion the chosen setting was another mansion, Maison Saussure.

(with information from the EFE)

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