From fishing with Bush to arguing with Obama: All of Putin's visits to the US

Ten years later, Vladimir Putin will return to the United States. The Russian leader will meet with Donald Trump in Alaska to discuss the possibility of a cease-fire in the war with Ukraine, in exchange for certain concessions. It will be the first meeting between the two since Trump's return to the White House.

Between his two terms in office, Putin met formally or informally with all the U.S. presidents with whom he coincided: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Trump and Joe Biden, although not all received him on U.S. soil.

The number of meetings per president served as a thermometer for the health of the U.S.-Russia relationship. While they were very frequent during Putin's first stint in power, they declined sharply after 2014, following the annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

In all, he held seven meetings in the United States. Now he will meet with Trump at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a U.S. military installation at the northern tip of Anchorage.

2000: Millennium Summit

The first U.S. president to shake Putin's hand was Bill Clinton. The two met in New York City as part of the Millennium Summit.

While Clinton had met Putin before, he was the first to welcome him to the United States.

The Russian leader also delivered a speech at the United Nations (UN) Security Council, where he spoke of a multipolar approach in the field of international relations.

2001: First state visit

A little over a year later, Putin had his first state visit to the country. He was received in the Oval Room by George W. Bush, and then they headed to New York, where he visited the site where the World Trade Center once stood. "The great city and the great American nation will win," he wrote on one of the walls.

Putin was the first world leader to call Bush after the Sept. 11 attacks to offer his condolences and support.

During a press conference, Bush famously said he had been able to meet his "soul." "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. We had a very pleasant conversation. I was able to got a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country. And I appreciated so very much the frank dialogue," he said.

Later, Putin stopped by the president's ranch in Texas, where the two shared an informal dinner.

One of the most unique scenes of the trip was seen in Crawford, a small town in the center of the state with a population of 705. There, they visited a small high school and were greeted by dozens of students.

Putin also met with congressional leaders and participated in a CIA briefing.

2003: Allies in the "war on terror"

In addition to returning to New York for the UN General Assembly, Putin met with President Bush, this time at Camp David. At another press conference, they discussed strengthening their military cooperation and their role as allies in the "war on terrorism."

"Russia and the United States are allies in the war on terror. Both of our nations have suffered at the hands of terrorists, and both of our governments are taking actions to stop them. No cause justifies terror. Terrorists must be opposed wherever they spread chaos and destruction, including Chechnya. A lasting solution to that conflict will require an end to terror, respect for human rights and a political settlement that leads to free and fair elections," the Republican president said.

2004: G8 and Ronald Reagan's funeral

Over three days, Putin attended the funeral of Ronald Reagan and the G8 summit, which took place in Sea Island, Georgia.

In 2014, after invading Crimea in Ukraine, Russia was expelled from the political and economic forum comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

2005: Katrina

The Russian leader visited New York and participated in the 2005 World Summit and UN General Assembly.

Again, he was received by Bush at the White House, although their meeting was overshadowed by Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans at the end of August. 

2007: Fishing at Bush's home in Maine

This was the most personal meeting between Bush and Putin on U.S. soil, as the Republican president hosted his counterpart at a family residence located in Kennebunkport, Maine.

The two fished and discussed key geopolitical issues. As for the fishing trip, Bush revealed that Putin was the only one who managed to pull a fish out of the water.

The meeting was marked by the Czech Republic, Poland, and Russia's opposition to a planned U.S. missile defense system in Eastern Europe.

The residence, also known as the "Bush Compound," has been in the Bush family since 1903. Different generations have used it for their vacations. For example, George H.W. Bush only spent two summers away from Maine, when he served in the Navy during World War II.

This was the last time Putin set foot in the United States during his first term as Russian president.

2015: The last visit

Back in the Kremlin, Putin went to New York for another United Nations Assembly. The Russian leader met with Barack Obama, with whom he heatedly discussed Ukraine and Syria.

"The two presidents huddled in a second floor conference room at United Nations headquarters for roughly 90 minutes, squaring off on the contentious issues of Ukraine and Syria and seeking to discern each others' strategies after a two-year freeze in face-to-face encounters," CNN reported at the time.

The last meeting between the two took place in China in September 2016.