Prime Minister Harper meets Russian President Vladimir Putin at APEC summit

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia – Prime Minister Stephen Harper is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at the APEC summit.

The prime minister’s bilateral with his host comes two days after Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird expressed Canada’s disapproval of Russia’s continued support of Syria’s Assad regime with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

Harper arrived Friday at the 21-nation APEC leaders’ gathering, and began his first full day Saturday with a business roundtable before his face to face with the Russian president.

Putin kicks off the summit in the Russian city of Vladivostok amid unprecedented popular dissatisfaction with his presidency.

Putin faced large protests this past spring after his controversial re-election to the presidency.

He’s also been attacked over last month’s two-year prison sentence to members of the subversive punk band Pussy Riot for their anti-Putin “punk prayer” in Moscow.

The punishment has come to symbolize what many view as Russia’s recent backslide on democracy.

Harper and his government have been quiet about the unrest in Russia in the weeks heading into the summit, stressing the economy will be his priority at APEC.