Biden and Putin Meet in Geneva, Biden Calls Zelenskyy "Putin"

U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their first face-to-face meeting today at a historic summit in Geneva.

Biden mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as President Putin during remarks.

During a high-stakes virtual meeting on Tuesday morning, Biden warned President Putin about the consequences of Russia invading Ukraine. Biden stated that "any military action that Russia takes will have significant and severe consequences" and that "the United States and our allies are united in our support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Later that day, Biden spoke to reporters and mistakenly referred to Zelenskyy as "President Putin." Biden quickly corrected himself, saying, "I mean President Zelenskyy." The White House later issued a statement saying that Biden had misspoken.

The mistake was widely reported in the media and on social media. Some commentators speculated that it was a sign of Biden's age or declining mental acuity. Others suggested that it was simply a slip of the tongue.

The White House has not commented on the speculation about Biden's mental health. However, Biden's doctor has said that he is "fit to execute the duties of the presidency" and that he has "no cognitive impairment."