US-Russian acrimony over Obama-Putin summit

The White House statement Thursday that the meeting Monday between Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin – on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly – was requested by Putin evoked an angry retort from the Kremlin: "… since the American…distorts what happened…I will point out straight away that the statement by the White House Press Secretary (Josh) Earnest that the Russian president sought the meeting, repeatedly asked about its organization, does not correspond to the truth," said adviser Yury Ushakov in Moscow Friday. The Kremlin also reported that the Syrian crisis would dominate the two presidents’ talks while the White House cited Ukraine as the main subject.  

The summit is scheduled to follow the Russian president’s UN address. He will also see Chancellor Merkel and President Holland Monday.