Osaka

US President Donald Trump told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday not to meddle in the US elections, appearing to make light of a scandal that had led to a two-year investigation into his campaign's contact with the Kremlin during the 2016 elections.

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Asked by a reporter whether he would raise the issue during a bilateral meeting with Putin, Trump said: "Yes, of course, I will."

Trump then turned to Putin to give the directive twice while pointing at the Russian leader. Putin maintained a smile as the remark was interpreted for him.

Trump hailed his "very, very good relationship" with Russia's President Vladimir Putin as the two leaders held talks on the sidelines of the G20 meeting.

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"It's a great honour to be with President Putin," said Trump, who last held face-to-face talks with the Russian leader in Helsinki in 2018.

"We have a very, very good relationship," Trump said.

Trump and Putin were heading into a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. It was the first time the two leaders have had a formal face-to-face meeting since a controversial high-profile summit in Helsinki last July.

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The keenly awaited meeting between the pair has been overshadowed by a probe into Trump's relations with Russia and the controversy that erupted the last time he held talks with the Kremlin leader.