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 With the two men crossing paths twice this week, first in Beijing
and later at a G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, there was little
chance they could avoid interacting on the international stage – and
with the eyes of the world press and fellow leaders upon them.
Obama and Putin have never had anything close to personal chemistry,
and with tensions high especially over Russia’s role in the conflict
in Ukraine, there was little warmth on display in their contacts at
the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
When the summit opened in a sprawling convention center at a lake
outside Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping walked in with Obama
and Putin, both unsmiling, on either side of him.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Putin was overheard saying in English in
Obama’s general direction, referring to the ornate conference room.
"Yes," Obama replied, coldly, according to journalists who witnessed
the scene.
The three leaders stopped at Xi’s seat at the table. Putin reached
out and clapped Obama on the shoulder. Obama barely responded. The
two then took their seat to Xi’s left and right.
Later, Obama and Putin were spotted in businesslike conversation,
trailed by a translator, as they entered a hall for the summit
"family photo."
"On three occasions throughout the day, for a total of approximately
15-20 minutes, President Obama had an opportunity to speak with
President Putin," said White House spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan.
"Their conversations covered Iran, Syria, and Ukraine."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the talks had taken place
but also gave no details.
The two leaders would seem to have much to discuss but little chance
of finding common ground. In addition to Ukraine, they are deeply at
odds over Russia's backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Communicating mostly by telephone over the past year, their contacts
have been described as frustratingly tense as relations between
Washington and Moscow have fallen to a post-Cold War low.
Obama has insisted that Russia stop supporting pro-Russian
separatists in eastern Ukraine while Putin has dismissed the
sanctions that the United States and the European Union have slapped
on Moscow as counterproductive.
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Obama's deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, told reporters
in Beijing on Tuesday that any encounter would be a chance for Obama
to remind the Russian leader of his promise to help resolve the
Ukraine crisis peacefully.
"President Putin knows full well where we stand," Rhodes said.
The two leaders last held brief informal talks on the sidelines of
D-Day anniversary celebrations in Normandy, France in June.
Meanwhile, scrutinizing body language between the two has become
something of a pastime in diplomatic circles.
The contrast in their personal styles, Putin brash and macho, Obama
more professorial and sometimes self-conscious, was also on display
at APEC.
At a tree-planting ceremony at the summit venue, Putin swaggered up,
chest out, and shoveled mud onto the roots of a partially-planted
tree.
Obama walked up with his hands clasped behind his back, picked up
the shovel, grinning slightly, and piled mud on his tree, according
to a pool report of the event.
When a Spanish-language camera crew called for his attention, Obama
responded with "Hey, hombre" and waved.
(Additional reporting by Alexei Anishchuk in Beijing; Editing by
Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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