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Putin arrives in Helsinki late for Trump meeting


Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles while answering a question during his annual call-in show in Moscow, Russia, FILE - Thursday, June 7, 2018. Speaking at the opening of his annual call-in television show, Putin said on Thursday that Russia's gross domestic product is currently 1.5 percent higher than a year ago. He described it as modest but said he is confident that future "growth is guaranteed." (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles while answering a question during his annual call-in show in Moscow, Russia, FILE - Thursday, June 7, 2018. Speaking at the opening of his annual call-in television show, Putin said on Thursday that Russia's gross domestic product is currently 1.5 percent higher than a year ago. He described it as modest but said he is confident that future "growth is guaranteed." (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
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HELSINKI (AP) —President Vladimir Putin has arrived late for his high-profile meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump — another display of the Russian's leader famous lack of punctuality.

Putin's plane touched down in Helsinki 30 minutes later than planned, pushing back the start of his one-on-one talks with Trump Monday.

In the past, Putin was late for meetings with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Pope Francis, among many others.

In 2014, he was hours late for meeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, after his previous stop in Serbia lasted longer than usual.

Often seen as a trick to throw his interlocutors off balance, Putin's tardy ways appear to be more of a personal trait than a well-calculated strategy.

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