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Putin, Obama to meet in China in coming days — Kremlin

The presidents will meet at the G20 summit in China on September 4-5

MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama will meet at a G20 summit in China on September 4-5 and define the format of their talk themselves, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"It is obvious that the presidents [of Russia and the United States] will meet at the G20 summit in one way or another within the framework of the forum, which traditionally takes place," Peskov told journalists.

The Kremlin spokesman reminded of last year’s G20 summit in Turkey when Putin and Obama had talked for quite a long time, secluding themselves in the hall of a hotel during the break between the sessions.

"This is how it happened there: they made a decision, held a meeting and agreed about it themselves," the Kremlin spokesman said.

"So, they [Putin and Obama] will meet - this is obvious and further on we’ll see what decision the heads of state will make," Peskov said.

The presidential spokesman earlier told TASS that the heads of Russia and the United States might discuss various issues during the summit in China.

US Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said that Obama counted on the meeting with the Russian president to discuss various issues.

"We also hope [for such an opportunity]," Peskov said.

Last time Putin and Obama met in late November 2015 on the sidelines of the international conference on climate change in Paris. Before that, they also used the possibility of another international forum - the G20 summit in Turkey on November 15-16, 2015 - for such a contact.

Aside from the upcoming G20 summit in China, Putin and Obama will also have another possibility to meet on November 18-19 at the APEC summit, in which the Russian and US leaders traditionally participate. By that time, the US presidential elections will have been held and in January next year Obama will leave the US White House after serving two presidential terms.