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Before holding the meeting behind closed doors, the two leaders briefly spoke to reporters, with video footage of the short chat beamed around the world. But what does Donald Trump, 72, really think of Vladimir Putin, 65? A body language expert has offered analysis of the two men's historic meeting. Judi James, author and body language expert, told Express.co.uk the duo are not as friendly as the warm words from Trump would have you believe. Previous to the meeting, Trump said that getting along with Russia would be a "good thing, not a bad thing". She said: "If the May/Trump summit looked chilly, this Trump/Putin meeting looked buried under a thick layer of perma-frost.

Donald Trump meets Putin in Finland - what does their body language reveal?

"Both men arrived performing the kind of alpha posturing you normally see in a boxing ring, swaggering with puffed chests and in Trump's case a mouth clamp plus what was bordering on a scowl to camera as both pulled at their jackets in what is commonly a 'prepare to fight' ritual. "In the room for the photo-call though they looked more like a sullen, divorcing couple at crisis counseling. "Putin was especially sphinx-like, returning little of the sparse eye contact he received from Trump and maintaining a poker face even after Trump's 'soccer' flattery was being translated for him. "Trump sat in his usual 'Trump Slump' pose with his legs splayed and his fingers in 'downward steeple' position to register macho dominance but this time his fingertips tapped together throughout which is a sign of impatience. "Putin adopted a more elegant power pose, sitting upright with one elbow on the arm of the chair but as Trump spoke Putin's other hands clasped the lower strut of the chair arm as though irritation could have been making him keen to go.

Trump Putin news: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin met today - what did their body language reveal?

Donald Trump meets Vladimir Putin in Helsinki Tue, July 17, 2018 US President Donald Trump meets with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland. Play slideshow REUTERS 1 of 15 Donald Trump met Vladimir Putin in Helsinki on Monday

Trump Putin news: The duo walked in together before sitting down for pictures

Trump Putin news: The two shook hands - normally a moment that is a classic jostle for power

"He also performed some impatience rituals like scratching up his cuff and finger-fiddling. "Trump instigated the handshake at the end and it was performed from their seats with a long distance arm-stretch and no patting or prolonging additions to give any clues away about their feelings. "The two men looked annoyed. When they last met their body language was cool and slightly awkward, but in dramatic fashion Putin leaned right out of his chair to whisper and chat to Trump with a smile on his face once the cameras were finished to signal a more off-screen friendship bond. "This time the two men sat rigid in their seats with absolutely no eye contact or communication when the lights were turned off. "This could be a ploy. It could be about pre-meeting posturing and the men could emerge showing friendship signals suggesting they'd each fought hard before allowing themselves to bond.

Trump Putin news: The American President gestured Putin in to his seat

Trump Putin news: The two world leaders appeared to be getting on well