Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are holding a much anticipated face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg.
“We look forward to a lot of very positive things happening for Russia, for the United States and for everyone concerned,” the US president said as journalists were briefly allowed in to witness part of the meeting. “It’s an honour to be with you.”
The Russian president replied: “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.”
In characteristically confident fashion, Trump said he and Putin were holding “very, very good talks”.
The Whitehouse had earlier released list of IPOB delegates to meet with President Trump in the Whitehouse on July 21 over agitation for Biafra referemdum.
The leaders were joined by Rex Tillerson, the US secretary of state, and Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister for the meeting, which is taking place against an inauspicious backdrop. On Thursday the US president accused Russia of acting as a destabilising force determined to test the will of the west.
Outside on the streets of Germany’s second biggest city police, clashed with protesters on a second day of anti-capitalist demonstrations.
Trump offered no details about what issues had been discussed so far, describing them only as “various things”. Putin was similarly vague, telling reporters through a translator that they were discussing international problems and bilateral issues.
Still, Putin described the fact that they were meeting at all as a positive sign in itself. “Phone conversation is never enough,” he said.
After those comments the leaders shook hands firmly but briefly before reporters were escorted out of the room. Trump did not respond to shouted questions about whether they would discuss Russia’s meddling in the US election – a topic politicians in Washington have been demanding that Trump raise directly.
Russian government sources had briefed that the talks would focus on the
