PARIS – Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin did see each other in Paris, but only briefly.

The Russian president told RT France that he and Trump decided "not to interrupt the schedule" of World War I commemorations with a separate meeting. Putin said they will instead try to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aries the weekend of Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

Putin did shake hands with Trump at an Arc de Triomphe ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the armistice to end World War I. The Russian president gave his American counterpart a thumbs up and patted him on the upper arm.

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It was the first time the two leaders had seen each other since their infamous summit in July in Helsinki.

At that session, Trump appeared to accept Putin's denial that Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential election, claims ridiculed by U.S. government officials who said the evidence of Russian involvement is overwhelming.

Even some Republicans have questioned Trump's apparent desire to get close to the Russian leader, especially given an ongoing investigation into any links the Russians may have had with Trump's campaign during the 2016 election.

Trump, who has denied any sort of collusion with Russia, said he has important business to conduct with Putin. He wants Russian assistance on items like the Syria civil war and efforts to denuclearize North Korea.

Putin, meanwhile, said he wants to talk to Trump about his recent decision to pull out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).