This is the awkward moment that left Russian despot Vladimir Putin twiddling his thumbs while waiting for a photo-op with Xi Jinping.
Putin is currently hosting Jinping, along with about twenty other world leaders, in Russia for the BRICS conference.
The conference, the most important since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, comes as Putin tries to demonstrate that Western efforts to isolate Moscow during the two-and-a-half-year offensive have failed.
But his efforts to puff his chest appear to have backfired with one of his biggest allies, China.
He was seen standing awkwardly next to a pair of Russian and Chinese flags in front of a group of cameras as he waited for Jinping to join him.
Putin stood there for several excruciating seconds. Meanwhile, Jinping was later seen rolling into his car and casually getting out before strolling to the meeting spot with his entourage of government officials and security guards.
He was seen standing awkwardly next to a pair of Russian and Chinese flags in front of a group of cameras
Putin is known for making world leaders wait several hours to talk to him
But he has also had to publicly wait for other leaders over the years
Seeing his Chinese counterpart, a smile appeared on Putin’s face, and the pair warmly shook hands and posed for the photo-op.
This is not the first time he has had to wait on other world leaders, including his allies.
In 2023, he had to wait for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who met before the Russia-Africa summit in July that year.
Putin was seen clumsily rearranging the pens and paper on the desk in front of him as he waited for his Egyptian counterpart.
In 2022, he had to wait almost a full minute for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
During talks in Tehran, Putin confidently walked into the room to meet Erdoğan, but stood still as cameras captured the embarrassing moment.
He was seen clasping his hands and shuffling his feet during the 50-second wait.
Putin stood there for several excruciating seconds
Meanwhile, Jinping was later seen rolling into his car and casually getting out before strolling to the meeting spot
Seeing his Chinese counterpart, Putin’s face broke into a smile, and the pair warmly shook hands and posed for the photo op.
In 2022, he had to wait almost a full minute for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Putin confidently walked into the room to meet Erdoğan, but stood still as cameras captured the embarrassing moment
After almost a minute, Erdoğan appeared and an irritated-looking Putin shook his hand
After almost a minute, Erdoğan appeared and an irritated-looking Putin shook his hand.
Joyce Karam, senior correspondent at Middle East media organization National News, said in a Twitter post at the time: “Those 50 seconds Erdoğan kept Putin waiting while he looked exhausted in front of the cameras speaks volumes about how much has changed after Ukraine .’
Many at the time believed this was a response to Putin’s own habit of making people wait alone.
In 2020, he reportedly took so long to enter a room with Erdoğan that the Turkish leader had to take a seat.
And in 2018, he kept then-President Donald Trump waiting for nearly an hour when they were scheduled to meet in Helsinki, Finland.
In 2023, he had to wait for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi when they met before the Russia-Africa summit in July that year.
Putin was seen shuffling as he waited for his Egyptian counterpart
While he waited, he also shuffled the papers and pens on the desk
Jonathan Eyal, a Russia expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said Business insider while making world leaders wait for him is ‘certainly… part of a power play.’
“There’s no doubt it’s a political message.”
He added: “Putin seems to have a very healthy respect for monarchs. The British Queen, he was only 14 minutes late for her. The King of Spain only waited twenty minutes.’
“Overall, it’s kind of a gradual thing that kind of indicates how seriously he takes you or how happy he is with you.”
Eyal said the longest known time he has had a world leader wait for him is four hours, an honor held by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
‘I think this is a backhanded compliment. Normally he could go for two or three hours. The only person exempted from the delay was the Pope.”