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On the left a picture of the G7 summit in Bavaria, on the right the gathering of the Caspian Five
Photo: left : Lukas Barth / REUTERS // right : Rigory Sysoyev / ITAR-TASS / IMAGO
Images trigger emotions and can develop an impact that lasts for decades.
Willy Brandt's kneeling in Warsaw or former US President George W. Bush, who declared the end of the war against Iraq on an aircraft carrier, are among the best-known examples.
And while the photos that have been circulating around the world in recent days of the Elmau, Madrid and Ashgabat summits are likely to take a lesser place in the history books, it's still worth taking a look at the different symbolism conveyed by the footage runs out
The pictures from the G7 and NATO summits often symbolized unity, a meeting of equals: leaders sitting close together, hugging or laughing together.
At the meeting of the so-called Caspian Five, the symbolism is different.
At the meeting in the capital of the authoritarian ex-Soviet republic of Turkmenistan, the group gathers around a monster table, with the leaders sitting far apart.
By contrast, Vladimir Putin's famous table at home in the Kremlin looks almost tiny.
And the piece of furniture, where the president likes to receive high-ranking guests, is six meters long and 2.60 wide, as the builder Renato Pologna told the Corriere della sera.
The leaders of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia apparently sat far apart not only in the large group, but also during discussions.
Heartfelt togetherness in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, cold distance in Ashgabat - at least this interpretation of the pictures makes sense.
And the tone of the announcements is also different.
While in Bavaria, among other things, it was about help against hunger, joint declarations in which the commitment to a “rules-based international order” was renewed and the founding of a climate club, a lot came from Turkmenistan.
In terms of content, Ashgabat was officially primarily about expanding cooperation with Central Asian partners, among others, under the impression of Western sanctions.
Russia sees building regional trade and investment ties and deepening industrial and technological cooperation as the main task for the future, Putin said.
However, the Kremlin chief also used the meeting to lash out at the West.
The fact that the G7 leaders joked about photos of Putin shirtless prompted Putin to make a tasteless reply.
Had the G7 leaders exposed themselves, it would have been a "disgusting sight".
The conversation that Putin responded to happened at Schloss Elmau.
In view of the high temperatures, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked whether jackets were to be taken off or not, and added: "We all have to show that we are tougher than Putin." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau replied, among other things: Riding naked Upper body, you have to do that.
He alluded to a well-known photo of Putin in such a pose.
“I don't know how they wanted to undress, above or below the waistline.
In any case, I think it would have been a disgusting sight,” Putin was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency Tass.
For the harmony between body and soul you have to do sports, not drink too much alcohol and give up other bad habits, Putin instructed the heads of state and government of the leading democratic industrialized countries.
The West has tried to turn Ukraine into an "anti-Russia" from where his country was supposed to be destabilized and where Russian culture was fought, Putin claimed.
NATO wanted to turn Ukraine into an "anti-Russian bridgehead," Putin reiterated earlier justifications for the attack.
The NATO summit in Madrid ends on Thursday.
Perhaps the most important signal towards Russia was given before the official start.
Turkey has given up its reservations about a northern expansion of the alliance.
An important step in the accession process for Sweden and Finland, even if it is not yet clear how high the price will be.
