Kremlin aide: Putin, Obama meeting constructive

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama exchanged invitations to visit each other's country during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Mexico, Russian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said. "Putin invited Obama to visit Russia; Obama invited Putin. They agreed to keep in contact by phone," Ushakov said, refuting media reports that painted the meeting between the two leaders as difficult and rigid. In fact, the media treated the meeting as virtually the centerpiece of the G20 summit, he was quoted by Russian News Agency (RIA Novosty as saying. "A number of U.S. pundits drew the hasty conclusion that the talks had been difficult, but this was based solely on the facial expressions and body language of the two leaders during the short time when the press was present," Ushakov said. "But I would say that the meeting was constructive and frank, it showed the desire of both leaders to strengthen bilateral strategic cooperation. The atmosphere was very cordial.