Biden, Xi and Putin push differences aside for climate summit

World's 40 top emitters will meet Thursday in prelude to COP26

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U.S. President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping will put differences aside for a summit on climate change on Thursday. (Source photos by Reuters and Xinhua/Kyodo)

FRANCESCA REGALADO, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Escalating tensions with the U.S. will not stop Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin from joining Joe Biden to address rising global temperatures later Thursday, when leaders from 40 countries that emit 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions convene for a virtual climate summit.

The U.S. president will host the meeting on Earth Day, after a month of rhetorical and diplomatic escalation with China and Russia. Prime ministers Narendra Modi of India and Yoshihide Suga of Japan will also attend, rounding out the world's top five emitters of carbon dioxide.

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