Trump meets with Putin as G-20 summit begins

U.S. President Donald Trump discussed arms control as well as Iran, Syria, Ukraine, and Venezuela with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday as the two-day summit of the group of 20 industrialized and developing nations began in Osaka, Japan. During a press conference, a reporter asked Trump if he would warn Putin not to meddle in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Trump pointed at Putin and deadpanned, “Don’t meddle in the election.” Putin chuckled.

Talks during the two-day summit will likely focus on trade. “A free and open economy is the basis for peace and prosperity,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in opening the meeting, but leaders also face tensions over trade, globalization, and the collapsing nuclear deal with Iran.

Coming into the summit, Trump complained that other countries take advantage of the United States. He tweeted that he looked forward to speaking with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about tariffs India recently increased: “This is unacceptable and the Tariffs must be withdrawn!”

But Trump has been conciliatory at the event, offering compliments to Abe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and others. Some hope a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday will ease tensions in the tariff war between the two countries. “I think it’ll be productive,” Trump said. Trump is also scheduled for a two-day trip to South Korea after the G-20 meetings.