Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have finally sat down for their summit meeting after the Russian president landed in the Finnish capital Helsinki half an hour behind schedule.

In turn, Trump arrived late to Helsinki’s presidential palace for his meeting with Putin.

Putin’s plane touched down 30 minutes later than planned, pushing back the start of his one-on-one talks with Trump.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Trump and Putin are meeting amid fraying Western alliances and developments in the investigation into Russian meddling in the US presidential election (Picture: Reuters)

In the past, Putin was late for meetings with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II and Pope Francis, among many others.

In 2014, he was hours late for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, after his previous stop in Serbia lasted longer than scheduled.

Trump and Putin are meeting amid fraying Western alliances and developments in the investigation into Russian meddling in the US presidential election.

Kicking off the summit Trump said to Putin: ‘I really think the world wants to see us get along.’

The American president said their two countries have ‘great opportunities’, given that they have not been getting along over the past few years. He said he thinks they can have an ‘extraordinary relationship’.

Mr Trump added their discussions will involve trade, the military, missiles, nuclear weapons and China, including their ‘mutual friend’, Chinese president Xi Jingping.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands as they meet in Helsinki, Finland July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Kicking off the summit Trump said to Putin: ‘I really think the world wants to see us get along’ (Picture: Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
US President Donald Trump meets with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (Picture: Reuters)
U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The pair shook hands as they met (Picture: Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and US President Donald Trump pose ahead a meeting in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiBRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
He blamed ‘many years of US foolishness and stupidity and now, the Rigged Witch Hunt!’ for the breakdown (Picture: AFP)

He did not mention Russia’s meddling in the US election.

The two leaders were seated together in a room adorned by American and Russian flags at the Finnish Presidential Palace, separated by a small table.

The summit is being closely watched on both sides of the Atlantic, coming days after the US justice department indicted 12 Russian military intelligence officers for their role in hacking Democrats during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Mr Trump said he hopes for better relations with the Russian leader. He faces bipartisan scepticism in Washington that his desire for warming ties is displacing concerns over Russia’s annexation of Crimea and other destabilising actions.

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U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, July 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
He said: ‘Our relationship with Russia has NEVER been worse’ (Picture: Reuters)
Russia's Ambassador to Finland Pavel Kuznetsov (L) welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin as he arrives at Helsinki airport in Vantaa, Finland July 16, 2018. Lehtikuva/Roni Rekomaa via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. NOT FOR USE BY REUTERS THIRD PARTY DISTRIBUTORS. FINLAND OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN FINLAND.
Vladimir Putin landed in the Finnish capital Helsinki half hour behind schedule for his summit meeting with Donald Trump (Picture: Reuters)
epa06892631 Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives at Helsinki Airport, in Helsinki, Finland, 16 July 2018. US President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to meet for summit talks on 16 July 2018 in Helsinki. EPA/MAURI RATILAINEN
Mr Trump, who has been trying to lower expectations about what the meeting will achieve, said that he thought the summit would go ‘fine’ (Picture: EPA)
epa06892632 Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives at Helsinki Airport, in Helsinki, Finland, 16 July 2018. US President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to meet for summit talks on 16 July 2018 in Helsinki. EPA/MAURI RATILAINEN
The meeting comes amid speculation about how Mr Trump will address the issue of Russian election meddling that prompted a special counsel probe that he has repeatedly labelled a witch hunt (Picture: EPA)
Russian President Vladimir Putin waves upon his arrival at the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in Helsinki, on July 16, 2018 prior to a summit between him and the US President. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Finnish capital for a historic summit with US leader Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / Jonathan NACKSTRANDJONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images
Mr Putin hopes the meeting, which comes hours after he presided over the World Cup final, will help him forge good personal ties with Mr Trump and focus on areas where Moscow and Washington may be able to find common ground, such as Syria. (Picture: AFP)
U.S. President Donald Trump waves after arriving at the airport in Helsinki, Finland, Sunday, July 15, 2018 on the eve of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Trump arrived in Helsinki yesterday (Picture: AP)

Earlier, the American president blamed the United States, not Russian election meddling, for the current low point in US-Russia relations.

‘Our relationship with Russia has NEVER been worse,’ Mr Trump tweeted, blaming ‘many years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity and now, the Rigged Witch Hunt!’