Obama, Putin join summit in Turkey clouded by Paris attacks

ANTALYA - Agence France-Presse

US President Barack Obama waves upon his arrival to Antalya International airport on November 15 , 2015 for the start of the G20 leaders? Summit in Antalya. AFP Photo

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin have landed in the heavily guarded Turkish resort of Antalya to join a summit clouded by the Paris assaults claimed by jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Air Force One landed at 7 a.m. at the airport of Antalya, a holiday destination bristling with 12,000 police and multiple security checkpoints to guard leaders of the group of the world’s top 20 economies, who officially kick off a two-day meeting on Nov. 15.

Putin was to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of the summit.

Meanwhile, Putin landed at Antalya Airport at 9:55 a.m. and was welcomed by Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci, Antalya Gov. Muammer Türker and Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Menderes Türel. 

The leaders arrived a day after meeting with the National Security Council over the Paris attacks, which killed 129 people and injured more than 350 on Nov. 13.

Beyond the Paris attacks, leaders will confront their divisions over how to resolve the fighting in Syria, the migrant crisis and how to curb warming of the planet ahead of a climate conference in Paris at the end of the month.

After the G-20, the U.S. leader will head to Manila and Kuala Lumpur to attend Asia-Pacific economic and political summits.