Snubbed by US, Putin charms other players

RUSSIA is putting on a brave face after US president Donald Trump abruptly cancelled a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

But Trump’s snub was a clear kick to Putin just as he arrived at a Group of 20 (G20) summit where Western leaders banded together to denounce Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

So Putin turned elsewhere for attention. He substituted Turkey’s president for the time slot he had reserved for Trump and sought to strengthen his alliance with China and other non-western economies. And he cosied up at Friday’s roundtable talks to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, somewhat of a fellow outcast at the G-20 over his suspected role in the killing of a dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Instanbul, Turkey.

The prince and Putin had a warm handshake, including some friendly hand slapping, while they laughed in front of the cameras just as the summit got under way.

The Russian leader’s spokesman said Putin and Trump greeted each other, but didn’t shake hands or otherwise talk, even during the “family photo” when leaders rub elbows as they get into place and usually exchange small talk.

Putin himself hasn’t publicly addressed Trump’s rejection, but hinted at the potential fallout if the leaders of the world’s two biggest nuclear powers can’t talk to each other.

Putin said in Buenos Aires that the US intention to opt out of a Cold War-ear nuclear pact “creates risks of an uncontrollable arms race”.