TRUMP, PUTIN MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME

The talks were originally scheduled to last for only 30 to 40 minutes

Hamburg, July 7: US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin exchanged a handshake for the first time on Friday as they arrived for the G20 summit in Germany. “They shook hands and said they will meet separately and see each other soon,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The billionaire tycoon and the ex-KGB agent’s meeting in the German port city of Hamburg promises to be one of the year's most scrutinised political encounters.

Hamburg, July 7: US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held their first face-to-face meeting on Friday at a G20 summit marred by violent protests and a rift between America and its Western allies over climate change and trade.

“We look forward to a lot of very positive things happening for Russia, for the US and for everyone concerned,” Mr Trump said. “It’s an honour to be with you.”

Mr Putin told the US leader: “I’m delighted to be able to meet you personally Mr President. And I hope as you have said, our meeting will yield concrete results.”

According to the CNN, the meeting between the two leaders lasted two hours and 16 minutes. It was scheduled to last 30 to 40 minutes.

The blockbuster encounter could sway issues ranging from the North Korean crisis and conflicts in Syria and Ukraine to US-Russian disarmament treaties, world trade and global warming, analysts say.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump said he still wants Mexico to pay for a planned border wall, as he met his Mexican counterpart for the first time as head of state. Asked at the start of the meeting with Enrique Pena Nieto if he still wanted Mexico to pay up, Mr Trump declared: “Absolutely”.

But Mexican foreign minister Luis Videgaray said the wall issue did not come up in the talks,

CLIMATE ISSUE

World leaders at the G20 summit acknowledged Mr Trump’s divergent stance on climate change, according to a draft communique. The draft underlines that the 2015 Paris climate accord is “irreversible” and affirms that other G20 nations are committed to the deal while taking note of Washington’s decision to quit the agreement.

Ahead of the summit, a key concern among Western allies was whether they would be able to convince G20 members to stand firm on the Paris deal to combat global warming. If the draft is confirmed in the final statement due to be published on Saturday, it would reflect the 19-versusthe-US split.

The North Korea nuclear problem is very serious. But here, one must not lose his cool, but rather act in a pragmatic and delicate manner.

— VLADIMIR PUTIN, Russian President