Obama shakes hands with Cuba’s Raúl Castro

by Jordan Fabian - 04/10/15 10:08 PM ET

President Obama and Cuban leader Raúl Castro shook hands Friday night at the Summit of the Americas in Panama, a significant moment in their countries’ efforts to repair relations after decades of animosity.

“At the Summit of the Americas this evening, President Obama and President Castro greeted each other and shook hands,” National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said in a statement.

A White House official described the handshake as an informal interaction, with no substantiative conversation, according to a pool report.

The two leaders are expected to meet Saturday.

EXCLUSIVO: encuentro del pdte de Cuba Raul Catro y el pdte de EEUU Barack a Obama

A video posted by Madelein Garcia (@madeleintelesur) on Apr 10, 2015 at 7:14pm PDT

#Panamá: el país que une al mundo. @CumbrePanama pic.twitter.com/BvIXZouZGW

— Manuel Domínguez (@SeCPanama) April 11, 2015

The Obama-Castro handshake moments ago at today’s #SummitoftheAmericas in #Panama. Hopefully, the first of many #Cuba pic.twitter.com/uar9DnVU6B

— Eva Golinger (@evagolinger) April 11, 2015

President Barack Obama on right; Cuban President Raul Castro on left…Summit of the Americas. #SummitoftheAmericas pic.twitter.com/8KE23UD4Et

— Stephen Crowley (@Stcrow) April 11, 2015

Tags Barack Obama