Putin greets Obama at G20 summit

2013-09-05 71

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STORY: Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted United States President Barack Obama with a handshake as he arrived in St. Petersburg for the G20 summit.

The two leaders are at the global economic summit just as the rift widens between the U.S. and Russia over possible military intervention in Syria designed to punish President Bashar al-Assad over a chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds of people on August 21.

The Russia-U.S. divide over Syria could overshadow the summit of the Group of 20 (G20) developed and developing economies in St. Petersburg at which global leaders want to forge a united front on growth, trade, banking transparency and fighting tax evasion.

The club that accounts for two thirds of the world's population and 90 percent of its output is divided over issues such as turmoil in emerging markets and the Federal Reserve's decision to end its program of stimulus for the U.S. economy.