This Article is From Aug 07, 2013

Barack Obama cancels meeting with Vladimir Putin amid row over Edward Snowden

Barack Obama cancels meeting with Vladimir Putin amid row over Edward Snowden

File picture of Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin meeting in Northern Ireland in June this year

Los Angeles: President Barack Obama has cancelled plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next month.

The move is retribution for Russia's decision to grant temporary asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden. It also reflects growing US frustration with Russia on several other issues, including missile defense and human rights.

The White House says Obama still attends to plan the Group of 20 economic summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, but has no plans to meet with Putin there one-on-one.

Obama will add a stop in Sweden to his early September travel itinerary.

The US planned to alert Russia of the president's decision today, though Obama and Putin were not expected to speak directly. Obama is on a two-day trip to California.

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