Obama, Putin don’t make eye contact in chilly Paris handshake

The presidents discussed the state of affairs in Syria and agreed on the need for the political regulation of the conflict. The White House says Obama expressed regret for the death of a Russian pilot and crew member in that incident.

Since Hollande’s visit, tensions between Russia and Turkey over a downed Russian fighter jet have increased.

President Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin didn’t make eye contact in a chilly handshake Monday on the sidelines of the Paris climate summit.

The Kremlin said both Obama and Putin expressed urgency for a political resolution in Syria during their 30-minute meeting.

“Obama stressed the importance of targeting Islamic State militants in Syria and not focusing military attacks against rebel groups who oppose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the official said on customary condition of anonymity”. France has intensified its attacks against the alleged positions of Daesh in Syria and Iraq following the Paris attacks, which were the deadliest assault on French soil since World War ll. And then Obama was gone, ready to turn his focus to the climate change conference that brought him to France.

President Barack Obama landed in Paris just before midnight Sunday and his motorcade took an unexpected route along the Seine.

Putin has already addressed the conference asserting that Russia’s efforts have been able to slow global warming in one year and will lower greenhouse gas emissions to 70 percent from the 1990 levels.