WASHINGTON — Vladimir Putin gifted President Joe Biden a particular Russian desk set valued at $12,000 after their assembly in Geneva in June 2021, the costliest reward Biden acquired from a international chief that 12 months.
A brand new authorities report listed the “Kholuy Lacquer Miniature Workshop Desk Writing Set and Pen” among the many dozens of things Biden and different administration officers acquired that 12 months. Biden accepted it from the Russian president round their high-stakes summit, their final and solely face-to-face assembly earlier than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a 12 months in the past.
When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the White Home two months in the past, he had a much more modest providing: an American flag.
First girl Jill Biden accepted a silk carpet from Afghanistan’s first girl valued at $19,200 in June 2021, simply weeks earlier than her husband’s authorities fell within the face of a speedy Taliban takeover following the U.S. navy withdrawal.
Federal regulation requires the State Division to listing any items from international dignitaries to senior U.S. officers that exceed $415 in worth.
The annual report from the Workplace of the Chief of Protocol gives perception into methods wherein international leaders attempt to personalize diplomacy with the White Home.
Then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as an example, gave Biden two canine bowls, amongst different gadgets, round their first face-to-face assembly in June 2021. The primary reward Biden accepted was a crystal bowl from Eire’s prime minister, although the report failed to notice it was crammed with shamrocks.
The president of Vietnam gave Biden a sand portray — of Biden. Queen Elizabeth II supplied Biden a framed photograph of herself, as was the customized of the late British monarch.
Many of the gadgets Biden acquired had been transferred to the Nationwide Archives, however some, just like the queen’s photograph, had been stored for “official show,” in line with the report. Biden additionally retained a pen drawing of his childhood dwelling in Scranton, Pennsylvania, a present of then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Vice President Kamala Harris additionally stored for show a chess set that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave her in September 2021.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken was one of many few officers who opted to buy from the federal government items he had acquired — wine, books and a coin offered by Pope Francis.
This text was initially revealed on NBCNews.com