Video: President Obama and President Putin’s relationship to be tested at G20 Summit
TORONTO – The first day of the Group of 20 economic summit in St. Petersburg put the strained relationship between U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian host Vladimir Putin in the spotlight.
The White House went out of its way to say that Obama won’t meet one-on-one with Russia’s president, though they did greet each other for almost 20 seconds upon Obama’s arrival (see photos below).
Here’s a look at some issues that have divided Obama and Putin.
SYRIA
Obama still has to get some American lawmakers on board with plans for a military strike in Syria, and during the G20 he’ll be trying to entice world leaders who are reluctant to engage in its bloody civil war.
But the G20 host country is the one most adamantly against intervention in Syria: Russia has given military and financial backing to the Syrian regime and leveraged its veto power in the UN Security Council to keep a resolution condemning Syria from getting off the ground.
While the U.S. announced it has proof the Syrian regime used chemical weapons against its own people, Putin called it “ludicrous” that President Bashar Assad would use such weapons when it was already holding sway against the rebels.
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EDWARD SNOWDEN
Plans for Obama to meet with Putin in Moscow were abruptly changed last month after Russia granted asylum to former National Security Agency systems analyst Edward Snowden.
Apparently harbouring a man charged with espionage and theft after leaking secret U.S. surveillance program documents to the media didn’t sit well with Obama, especially after Putin denied Obama’s requests to have Snowden returned home.
GAY RIGHTS
Russia’s new law, which penalizes anyone who distributes information aimed at persuading minors that “nontraditional” relationships are normal or attractive, has incited protests around the world and calls to boycott or move the Sochi 2014 Games to another city.
While the government assured the International Olympic Committee (IOC) there would be no discrimination against homosexuals, the question remains what will happen to athletes or fans if they say or do anything that could be considered gay “propaganda.”
Both Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have ruled out a boycott.
Despite their differences, the two leaders managed to greet each other in Saint Petersburg with a smile and handshake before going their separate ways.
With files from The Associated Press
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