Biden and Putin set ‘consultations’ on updating nuclear pact

US president Joe Biden, right, and Russian president Vladimir Putin, shake hands during their meeting in Switzerland (Mikhail Metzel/Pool Photo via AP)

Russian president Vladimir Putin said that he and US president Joe Biden agreed in a “constructive” summit to return ambassadors to their posts, lowering tensions and beginning consultations to replace the last remaining treaty between the two countries limiting nuclear weapons.

Mr Putin said after the summit meeting on Wednesday that there was “no hostility” during the talks, which wrapped up more quickly than anticipated.