Vladimir Putin has told world leaders "don't worry, be happy" following President Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Paris climate accord.

While Mr Trump sparked dismay among many by withdrawing from the agreement to cut greenhouse gases, the Russian President said he did not "judge" his counterpart in Washington.

Urging world leaders to work with Mr Trump, he said: "You shouldn't make a noise about this, but should create the conditions for joint work.

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"If such a major emitter as the US is not going to co-operate entirely then it won't be possible to agree any deal in this area."


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Mr Putin added that the President's move was avoidable, but conceded "what has been said has been said".

"We need to think what to do further, this agreement… is due to come into force in 2021," he said.

"So we still have time, if we all work in a constructive way. Don't worry, be happy!"

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Only Syria and Nicaragua are non-participants in the 195-nation accord agreed in Paris in 2015.

Nicaragua did not think the agreement went far enough, while Syria is in the midst of a civil war.

The countries that signed up agreed to take measures that cut the amount of CO2 being produced.

But the White House has claimed the agreement "is a bad deal for Americans" and that by withdrawing Mr Trump will keep "his campaign promise to put American workers first".

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Defending Mr Trump's decision, vice president Mike Pence dismissed climate change as "a paramount issue for the left".

In an interview with Fox News, Mr Pence described the accord as "a transfer of wealth from the most powerful economy in the world to other countries around the planet".

He said: "(It is) so refreshing to have a President who stands without apology... for America first."

During a White House press conference, Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt said the Trump administration had "led with action and not words".

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He said: "Paris at its core was a bunch of words committed to very minimal environmental benefits which would cost this country a substantial amount of money."

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While announcing the US' withdrawal, Mr Trump insisted his decision was in the best interests of Americans, saying he was "elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris"

Despite this, Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto told Sky News the city was "the example of what is at the heart of the Paris agreement".

He said: "It is a city that was facing economic collapse and was able to come back through innovation and change.

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"In Pittsburgh today I signed an executive order and it will keep us committed to our 2023 goal of reducing our carbon footprint by 20%"

Also among those to criticise Mr Trump was European Council president Donald Tusk, who said the US had made "a big mistake".

Mr Tusk heralded co-operation between China and Europe, adding that the fight against climate change will continue "with or without the United States".

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs chief Lloyd Blankfein signed up to Twitter to criticise the President's move.

In his first tweet, Mr Blankfein said the decision was "a setback for the environment and for the US' leadership position in the world".