Monday, June 4, 2012

Putin hosts EU leaders for Russia-EU summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, left, and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy are seen during the Russia EU Summit outside St.Petersburg, Russia, Sunday, June 3, 2012. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Government Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, left, and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy are seen during the Russia EU Summit outside St.Petersburg, Russia, Sunday, June 3, 2012. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Government Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, European Union Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, right, and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy walk together during the Russia EU Summit at the Konstantin palace in St.Petersburg, Russia, Monday, June 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

(AP) ? Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting top European leaders at a summit in St. Petersburg as he faces pressure from the West over his country's stance on Syria and support for democracy.

The summit follows Putin's visit to Germany and France last weekend when German Chancellor Angela Merkel pressed Putin to allow "democratic diversity" to develop in Russia and he rejected assertions that Moscow is propping up Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime.

Moscow has shielded Syria from U.N. action aimed at halting Assad's deadly crackdown on an anti-government uprising.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso were meeting with Putin on Monday.

Associated Press

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