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Obama in Russia to Meet World Leaders Amid Syria Tension Smiling, Obama and Putin Mask Their Disputes
(about 5 hours later)
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — President Obama arrived in this czarist-era capital on Thursday for an international summit meeting officially focused on economics but unofficially absorbed by America’s growing estrangement with Russia and looming confrontation with Syria. ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — For 15 seconds, they put on their game faces, smiled for the cameras and pretended that they were not the diplomatic equivalent of estranged spouses.
After a one-day stop in Sweden, Mr. Obama joined other leaders of the Group of 20 nations at a time when he is preparing to launch a military strike against the Syrian government without much overt international support. Mr. Obama recognized that he would not find consensus here in St. Petersburg but hoped at least to bolster allies who do favor action. President Obama arrived at the Group of 20 summit here on Thursday on the defensive as he sought international support for a strike on Syria and confronted the meeting’s host and chief skeptic, President Vladimir V. Putin, after a period of deepening tension between the two.
His biggest challenge will be the host of the meeting, President Vladimir V. Putin, who has used increasingly tough language in recent days. Mr. Putin said in an interview with The Associated Press and Russian state television that it was “completely ridiculous” to conclude that Syrian forces were responsible for a chemical weapons attack on Aug. 21, and he said Secretary of State John Kerry “is lying and knows he is lying” about Al Qaeda’s presence in Syria. All eyes were on the famed presidential limousine as it pulled up to Constantine Palace with Mr. Putin waiting at the entrance. Emerging from the armored vehicle, flown in from Washington as is typical for presidential foreign trips, Mr. Obama strode up to the Russian president whom he recently had compared to a slacker student, shook his hand and offered a few words of chitchat, seemingly, as some speculated, about the lovely weather or the grand palace.
The two presidents ignored the tension in their first encounter of the day. When Mr. Obama’s armored limousine pulled up to Constantine Palace on Thursday afternoon, he emerged and strode over to a waiting Mr. Putin, who was greeting all of the visiting leaders one by one. The two shook hands and had businesslike if not warm smiles for each other, then turned to the news media cameras and smiled more broadly. But neither grabbed the other’s elbow or patted a back as they often do with other leaders. Mr. Putin greeted him with equally businesslike cordiality and then the two turned to the assembled journalists to pose momentarily with broader camera-ready smiles. Neither grabbed the other’s arm or patted a back, as they often do with fellow leaders. It was proper, it was protocol but it was not warm. And then within a blink of an eye, the most anticipated encounter of the annual two-day summit was over and Mr. Obama headed inside the palace while Mr. Putin waited to greet the next visiting leader.
Others besides the Russians in St. Petersburg are skeptical about Mr. Obama’s Syria intentions. China’s leadership backs Russia in resisting action by the United Nations Security Council and warned on Thursday that military intervention would drive up oil prices and slow down economic growth. “Military action would definitely have a negative impact on the global economy, especially on the oil price,” Zhu Guangyao, the Chinese vice finance minister, told reporters here. No wonder that body language was so absorbing on Thursday, especially after Mr. Obama last month noted Mr. Putin’s “slouch” and said he gave the appearance of a “bored kid” in school. Given that the American president had canceled a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Putin in Moscow and likewise declined any separate session here in St. Petersburg in protest of the temporary asylum granted to Edward J. Snowden, the former National Security Agency leaker, the brief interaction between the powerful leaders was all there was to measure.
After the arrivals, the two presidents sat at the table inside the ornate hall, separated by the leaders of Australia and Indonesia, and were not spotted engaging in separate conversation, although White House aides said they might easily talk unscripted on the sidelines of the meeting at some point. It did not go unnoticed as Mr. Putin read a lengthy introductory statement about financial stability and economic growth that Mr. Obama, listening to a translation through an earphone, looked a little bored himself.
Mr. Obama joined other leaders of the Group of 20 nations at a time when he is preparing to launch a military strike against the Syrian government in retaliation for what the Americans have concluded was a chemical weapons attack that killed more than 1,400 last month. In the face of sharp opposition from Mr. Putin, Mr. Obama recognized that he would not find consensus here in St. Petersburg but hoped at least to bolster allies who do favor action.
The Russians were not the only ones in St. Petersburg skeptical about Mr. Obama’s Syria intentions. China’s leadership backs Russia in resisting action by the United Nations Security Council and warned on Thursday that military intervention would drive up oil prices and slow down economic growth. “Military action would definitely have a negative impact on the global economy, especially on the oil price,” Zhu Guangyao, the Chinese vice finance minister, told reporters here. Italy’s prime minister likewise expressed his disagreement with a strike.
Beyond France, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Mr. Obama may find few here who will vocally back a limited military strike against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. White House officials said other countries are supportive without being as public about it or at least would agree that Mr. Assad needs to be held accountable in some fashion. But Mr. Obama had no plans to seek a formal endorsement from the leaders.Beyond France, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Mr. Obama may find few here who will vocally back a limited military strike against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. White House officials said other countries are supportive without being as public about it or at least would agree that Mr. Assad needs to be held accountable in some fashion. But Mr. Obama had no plans to seek a formal endorsement from the leaders.
“We would not anticipate every member of the G-20 agreeing about the way forward in Syria, particularly given the Russian position,” Benjamin J. Rhodes, the president’s deputy national security adviser, told reporters on Air Force One en route here. Mr. Obama will “explain our current thinking” and explore what “political and diplomatic support they may express for our efforts to hold the Syrian regime accountable.”“We would not anticipate every member of the G-20 agreeing about the way forward in Syria, particularly given the Russian position,” Benjamin J. Rhodes, the president’s deputy national security adviser, told reporters on Air Force One en route here. Mr. Obama will “explain our current thinking” and explore what “political and diplomatic support they may express for our efforts to hold the Syrian regime accountable.”
The tension over Syria has only exacerbated an already fractious moment between the United States and Russia. After Moscow last month granted temporary asylum to Edward J. Snowden, the National Security Agency contractor who disclosed secret surveillance programs, Mr. Obama canceled plans to stop in Moscow first for a separate meeting with Mr. Putin and opted against even a standard courtesy call on his host here in St. Petersburg.
The two will inevitably see each other and even talk on the sidelines of the official meetings here while everyone watches their body language. The Russian newspaper Izvestiya reported that the Russian government had changed the seating chart in a way that would move the two leaders farther apart, with five leaders between them instead of just one. But by the time they sat down, the seating chart seemed to have been scrambled again, with the American and Russian presidents separated by just two other leaders.
The government did not roll out major figures to greet Mr. Obama upon his arrival at the St. Petersburg airport. Upon landing on Thursday, Mr. Obama was welcomed for only his second visit as president to Russia by the Foreign Ministry’s protocol officer, the deputy regional administrator and the vice governor of St. Petersburg.
At a news conference in Stockholm on Wednesday, Mr. Obama acknowledged that “we’ve kind of hit a wall” in relations and he did little to paper over the strains. “Where we’ve got differences, we should be candid about them, try to manage those differences, but not sugarcoat them,” he said.At a news conference in Stockholm on Wednesday, Mr. Obama acknowledged that “we’ve kind of hit a wall” in relations and he did little to paper over the strains. “Where we’ve got differences, we should be candid about them, try to manage those differences, but not sugarcoat them,” he said.
Mr. Putin, for his part, seemed irked by one recent expression of candor by Mr. Obama, who last month noted the Russian president’s “slouch” and compared him to a “bored kid in the back of the classroom.” Mr. Putin said he “read with surprise about body language, about being bored or behaving in some other way.” Mr. Putin said this week that he and Mr. Obama were national leaders, not personal friends. “President Obama was not elected by the American people to be pleasant to Russia,” he said in the interview. “Neither was your humble servant elected by the people of Russia to be pleasant to someone.” But both, he added, would represent global interests.
He said he and Mr. Obama were national leaders, not personal friends. “President Obama was not elected by the American people to be pleasant to Russia,” he said in the interview. “Neither was your humble servant elected by the people of Russia to be pleasant to someone.” But both, he added, would represent global interests. While only briefly greeting Mr. Putin upon arrival, Mr. Obama met Thursday with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, who has tried to stay out of the Syria dispute. “I certainly look forward to continuously and closely working with you to improve the situation on the ground,” Mr. Abe said obliquely as the meeting started. Mr. Obama then opened the private session with an extensive discussion of Syria, aides said.
While only briefly greeting Mr. Putin upon arrival, Mr. Obama met Thursday with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, who has tried to stay out of the Syria dispute. “I certainly look forward to continuously and closely working with you to improve the situation on the ground,” Mr. Abe said as the meeting started.
Mr. Obama said he would raise Syria during their meeting. “I also look forward to having an extensive conversation about the situation in Syria, and I think our joint recognition that the use of chemical weapons in Syria is not only a tragedy but also a violation of international law that must be addressed,” he said.
Mr. Obama planned separate meetings Friday with President François Hollande of France, his strongest supporter on Syria, and President Xi Jinping of China. He has no plans to sit down with Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, who supported Mr. Obama’s plan to strike Syria but then called off any participation after losing a parliamentary vote.Mr. Obama planned separate meetings Friday with President François Hollande of France, his strongest supporter on Syria, and President Xi Jinping of China. He has no plans to sit down with Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, who supported Mr. Obama’s plan to strike Syria but then called off any participation after losing a parliamentary vote.
The summit meeting was being held amid tight security with thousands of additional police officers called in from around the country. The leaders were meeting in the suburb of Strelna at Constantine Palace, a run-down, abandoned estate on the Gulf of Finland started by Peter the Great but never really finished until Mr. Putin took up the project a dozen years ago and converted it into a glittering showpiece for a re-emerging Russia.
The leaders had dinner Thursday night at Peterhof, Peter’s summer palace, which is often compared to Versailles. Mr. Obama planned to raise Syria during the meal, which was closed to the news media.
The formal agenda of the meeting focuses on ways of promoting economic growth through investment, transparency and effective regulation. By one measure, the 19 nations plus the European Union represented here control 85 percent of the world’s economy and their sessions have become important annual gatherings since Mr. Obama took office.
This year’s meeting takes place against a different context than many of those in the past, without the sort of urgent crisis atmosphere that dominated previous talks. The United States economy is growing at a regular though modest pace. But many of the leaders arrived here nervous about the prospect of the Federal Reserve easing up on its stimulus program and worried about Chinese growth.
American officials said they hoped to use the meeting to press their counterparts to stimulate more domestic demand and create more jobs. They also want the gathered leaders to tackle international tax evasion by standardizing disclosure requirements for individuals and financial institutions.
“We’ve got to stay focused on creating jobs and growth,” Mr. Obama said in Stockholm. “That’s going to be critically important not only for our economies but also to maintain stability in many of our democracies that are under severe stress at this point.”
The summit meeting was being held amid tight security with thousands of additional police officers called in from around the country. The leaders were meeting in the suburb of Strelna at Constantine Palace, a run-down, abandoned estate on the Gulf of Finland started by Peter the Great but never really finished until Mr. Putin took up the project a dozen years ago and converted it into a glittering showpiece for a re-emerging Russia.The summit meeting was being held amid tight security with thousands of additional police officers called in from around the country. The leaders were meeting in the suburb of Strelna at Constantine Palace, a run-down, abandoned estate on the Gulf of Finland started by Peter the Great but never really finished until Mr. Putin took up the project a dozen years ago and converted it into a glittering showpiece for a re-emerging Russia.
The leaders were having dinner Thursday night at Peterhof, Peter’s summer palace, which is often compared to Versailles. Mr. Obama planned to raise Syria during the meal, which was to be closed to the news media.The leaders were having dinner Thursday night at Peterhof, Peter’s summer palace, which is often compared to Versailles. Mr. Obama planned to raise Syria during the meal, which was to be closed to the news media.
The formal agenda of the meeting focuses on ways of promoting economic growth through investment, transparency and effective regulation. By one measure, the 19 nations plus the European Union represented here control 85 percent of the world’s economy and their sessions have become important annual gatherings since Mr. Obama took office.The formal agenda of the meeting focuses on ways of promoting economic growth through investment, transparency and effective regulation. By one measure, the 19 nations plus the European Union represented here control 85 percent of the world’s economy and their sessions have become important annual gatherings since Mr. Obama took office.
This year’s meeting takes place against a different context than many of those in the past, without the sort of urgent crisis atmosphere that dominated previous talks. The United States economy is growing at a regular though modest pace. But many of the leaders arrived here nervous about the prospect of the Federal Reserve easing up on its stimulus program and worried about Chinese growth.This year’s meeting takes place against a different context than many of those in the past, without the sort of urgent crisis atmosphere that dominated previous talks. The United States economy is growing at a regular though modest pace. But many of the leaders arrived here nervous about the prospect of the Federal Reserve easing up on its stimulus program and worried about Chinese growth.
American officials said they hoped to use the meeting to press their counterparts to stimulate more domestic demand and create more jobs. They also want the gathered leaders to tackle international tax evasion by standardizing disclosure requirements for individuals and financial institutions.American officials said they hoped to use the meeting to press their counterparts to stimulate more domestic demand and create more jobs. They also want the gathered leaders to tackle international tax evasion by standardizing disclosure requirements for individuals and financial institutions.
“We’ve got to stay focused on creating jobs and growth,” Mr. Obama said in Stockholm. “That’s going to be critically important not only for our economies but also to maintain stability in many of our democracies that are under severe stress at this point.”“We’ve got to stay focused on creating jobs and growth,” Mr. Obama said in Stockholm. “That’s going to be critically important not only for our economies but also to maintain stability in many of our democracies that are under severe stress at this point.”