Syrian and Ukrainian conflicts, the war on terror, strategic security and bilateral issues. Likely flashpoints included North Korea’s successful ballistic missile test and the use by the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, of chemical weapons.
Earlier in the day Trump and Putin shook hands and exchanged pleasantries – an encounter captured in a video and posted to Facebook by the German cabinet.
As officials gathered around a table, Trump stretched out his hand to Putin and then patted his elbow as both men smiled. Trump then casually patted Putin on the back as they stood side by side.
On Thursday Trump had used a speech in Warsaw to urge Russia to “cease its destabilising activities in Ukraine and elsewhere, and its support for hostile regimes including Syria and Iran”.
The US president called on Russia to “join the community of responsible nations in our fight against common enemies and in defence of civilisation itself”.
There are some frustrations in the camp of the German host, Angela Merkel, that her carefully prepared summit agenda, including a compact to build private investment for Africa, is being overshadowed by the hype surrounding Trump and Putin.
The US team, stung by allegations of cronyism when Lavrov met Trump in the Oval Office, tried to make the meeting appear as businesslike as possible. The aim was present the meeting as a formal bilateral rather than the previously planned informal discussion.
