US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are gearing up to head to Europe this week

The meeting between the two leaders will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two nations, at a time where relationships are rocky.

The White House has defended the US President’s upcoming meeting in Geneva stating that it is “vital” to protect America’s interests.

Biden will attend the G7 and NATO summits, in the lead-up to the highly anticipated event with Putin.

The US President is pushing to shore up Washington’s “democratic alliances” and promises to address “Russia’s challenges to European security, starting with its aggression in Ukraine”