Kremlin Spokesman Says Putin, Trump May Cross Paths at G-20: RIA

(Bloomberg) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin may cross paths with Donald Trump while both leaders are in Buenos Aires this weekend for the Group of 20 summit, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.

The two men may meet “on their feet” like the other leaders there, Peskov said. Trump surprised the Kremlin Thursday when he tweeted that he was canceling a sit-down meeting scheduled for Saturday because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea.

The White House later said no informal interaction between the leaders is planned, RIA reported. A seating plan for the opening G-20 session released by the Kremlin showed Putin seated next to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and four spots away from Trump, who is to sit between leaders from Germany and the U.K.

Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters in Buenos Aires that it is U.S. domestic politics that’s put pressure on Trump, preventing him from improving relations with Russia. “We’ll be waiting for another opportunity” for the leaders to meet, he said.

Peskov said that Putin hadn’t yet found another meeting to fill the time freed up by Trump’s change of plans.

Earlier Friday, German officials confirmed that Chancellor Angela Merkel will go ahead with a planned meeting with Putin at the G-20.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ilya Arkhipov in Buenos Aires at iarkhipov@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Gregory L. White at gwhite64@bloomberg.net, Torrey Clark

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