Fact Check

Was Vladimir Putin Surrounded by Other World Leaders at the G20 Summit?

A photograph purportedly showing the Russian president surrounded by political counterparts is not real.

Published July 10, 2017

 (Ververidis Vasilis / Shutterstock.com)
Image Via Ververidis Vasilis / Shutterstock.com
Claim:
A photograph shows Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, surrounded by other world leaders.

On 8 July 2017, an image purportedly showing Russian President Vladimir Putin surrounded by world leaders such as President Donald Trump went viral:

The original image showed U.S. President Donald Trump, Turkey Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, and Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the beginning of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany — but not President Putin. The Russian leader was digitally added to the image, which originally featured the world leaders talking over an empty chair.

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.