Trump and Putin chat at Asia-Pacific summit

DANANG, VIETNAM: US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin chatted on Saturday as they walked together for the “family photograph” at the APEC summit of Asia-Pacific leaders in Vietnam.

Although the White House had said no official meeting was planned, the two also shook hands at a dinner on Friday evening and again at the start of the main meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders on Saturday.

Television pictures showed Putin and Trump talking as they walked to the position where the traditional group photograph was being taken in the resort city of Danang.

The White House said on Friday that no formal meeting was planned because of scheduling conflicts on both sides, though it was possible they would bump into each other. Trump is on the fourth leg of a 12-day tour of Asia.

Putin, Trump agree to defeat IS in Syria: Kremlin

Putin and Trump, in a joint statement on Syria, agreed to continue joint efforts on fighting Daesh until it is defeated, the Kremlin said on Saturday.

The two leaders also confirmed their commitment to Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and called on all parties to the Syrian conflict to take an active part in the Geneva political process.

Moscow and Washington agree there is no military solution to the conflict, according to the text of the joint statement published on the Kremlin’s website.