BYOB: Putin brings special mug to G20 banquet with Trump

Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised eyebrows by toasting with a white thermos mug during a dinner with other world leaders at the G20 summit in Japan. He reportedly is a prolific tea drinker and takes the mug everywhere.

Seated to the left of Japanese premier Shinzō Abe, Putin lifted up his personal white mug during the banquet. US President Donald Trump, seated on the other side of Abe, drank his customary Diet Coke from a wine glass.

It is Japan’s turn to host the summit for the world’s 20 largest economies. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker were also at Abe’s table.

The mug caused breathless speculation social media as to what it might contain. Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov attempted to dispel the mystery by telling reporters that the president always carries the thermos with him, as he likes to drink tea constantly.

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