No Syria breakthrough in Obama-Putin chat on G-20 summit sidelines

President Obama talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a “constructive” meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, both leaders said.

{mosads}”It was a candid and constructive conversation, which characterizes my relationship with him,” Obama said. 

“I know, as I’ve said before, everybody’s always trying to look for body language and all that, but the truth of the matter is, is that my interactions with him tend to be very straightforward.”

Obama said that, while he did not “expect us to agree on this issue of chemical weapons use” by Syrian President Bashar Assad, he believed the pair could work together to facilitate a political solution to Syria’s civil war.

“We both agree that the underlying conflict can only be resolved through a political transition as envisioned by the Geneva I and Geneva II process,” Obama said, referring to proposed peace talks between the Assad regime and rebel forces. 

“And so we need to move forward together, even if the U.S. and Russia and other countries disagree on this specific issue of how to respond to chemical weapons use, it remains important for us to work together to try to urge all parties in the conflict to resolve it.”

In an earlier press conference, Putin confirmed the 20-minute long meeting.

Putin said “there was a dialogue” and that, while the two leaders did not agree on how to proceed in Syria, “we listened to each other.” Putin described “a good atmosphere” surrounding the talks. But he said both leaders “stuck to their guns.”

The Russian leader also indicated that Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would meet soon to discuss a path forward on Syria.

Obama had originally planned to meet with Putin in Moscow before arriving in St. Petersburg for the G-20. But the White House scrapped that trip after the Kremlin offered temporary asylum to Edward Snowden, the former Defense contractor who revealed details about the National Security Agency’s top-secret surveillance programs.

Putin said Obama did not ask him to extradite Snowden to the United States during their chat.

“We didn’t touch upon this topic at all,” Putin said.

Obama confirmed that Snowden “did not come up beyond me saying that — re-emphasizing that where we have common interests; I think it’s important for the two of us to work together.”

Obama and Putin have also sparred over new anti-gay laws in Russia that threaten fines and imprisonment for those who participate in gay rights parades. Later Friday, Obama plans to meet with LGBT groups and human rights activists in St. Petersburg.

— Updated at 11:25 a.m.