The Latest: Putin calls Russia-US ties ‘frozen’ on G-20 eve
HANGZHOU, China (AP) — The Latest on G-20 summit in China (all times local):
3:30 p.m.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has described his country’s relationship with the United States as “frozen.”
Putin spoke Saturday during a meeting with the leaders of Japan and South Korea at a forum in Russia, one day before the Group of 20 summit opens in neighboring China.
Russia and the U.S. are both entangled in the Syrian civil war and are negotiating a deal for cooperation, though Russia has backed Syrian President Bashar Assad who U.S. officials say should be removed from power.
U.S. authorities have also linked cyberattacks on the Democratic Party to Russian-backed hackers. Putin has denied sanctioning any attacks.
Putin and President Barack Obama do not have a meeting scheduled, but they are expected to meet on the summit’s sidelines. Obama arrived in China Saturday.
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2:20 p.m.
President Barack Obama has arrived in China for talks on climate change and global economic growth.
It is expected to be Obama’s last trip to Asia as president.
Air Force One landed in the eastern city of Hangzhou Saturday afternoon.
The president plans to use the trip to highlight his work on climate change. He is due to speak on the subject later Saturday before meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping. The leaders are expected to announce their countries are formally taking part in the Paris agreement to cut carbon emissions.
China is hosting the Group of 20 summit of industrialized and emerging economies.
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12:45 p.m.
While greeting Italy’s prime minister, Chinese President Xi Jinping has offered condolences for the earthquake that killed nearly 300 people.
Xi and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi met Saturday after Renzi’s arrival in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou for the Group of 20 summit.
Xi said China had seen the devastating effects of earthquakes first-hand and that he hoped Italy would be able to rebuild.
The Aug. 24 quake leveled three towns in central Italy and left some 4,000 people homeless. Many people have been staying in tent camps.
Renzi and other world leaders arrived Saturday in advance of a two-day meeting of industrial and emerging-market nations.
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11:45 a.m.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says terrorism is a long-term issue for discussion by members of the Group of 20 nations gathering in China for a summit starting Sunday.
Erdogan arrived Saturday in the coastal city of Hangzhou and was greeted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. His trip comes after he defeated an attempted coup by military officers July 15.
Erdogan did not directly address the failed coup, saying that he welcomed the summit’s focus on investment and innovation.
China is Turkey’s third-largest trading partner, though the two countries have clashed over China’s handling of Uighur minorities who share cultural ties with Turkey.
Erdogan will also meet with President Barack Obama before the summit begins.
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10:50 a.m.
World leaders from 20 industrial and emerging-market nations are arriving in the southern Chinese city of Hangzhou for a summit starting Sunday.
Among the latest arrivals Saturday morning are Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has already visited Beijing and Shanghai on a state visit, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
They join heads of state who arrived a day earlier, including Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma — the only African member of the G-20. Argentine President Mauricio Macri and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also arrived in Hangzhou.
President Barack Obama is expected to meet later Saturday with his Chinese host, President Xi Jinping. Ahead of the talks, China announced on Saturday that it has ratified the emissions-cutting agreement reached last year in Paris, giving a big boost to efforts to bring the accord into effect by the end of this year.
The United States is also expected to announce that it is formally joining the Paris Agreement.
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