Moscow, Dec 8 (AFP/APP): When Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky meet on Monday it will be an encounter between two very different presidents — one an establishment strongman with years of experience, the other a neophyte rebel learning the ropes. The Russian and Ukrainian presidents will be holding their first face-to-face talks in Paris at a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the conflict in eastern Ukraine. For Putin, it will be a chance to take further steps to reduce Russia’s isolation over its 2014 annexation of Crimea and backing for eastern Ukrainian separatists. For Zelensky, the stakes are much higher: a potential end to a conflict that has ravaged much of his country, left more than 13,000 people dead and forced more than a million from their homes. For both men it also will be a chance to size up their opponent in what is likely to be a long contest over the future of Ukraine. – Tough guy vs comedian – After nearly 20 years in power, Putin brings to the ring a wealth of experience on the global stage. The 67-year-old former KGB agent has overseen Russia’s rise to resurgent world … Continue reading Putin vs Zelensky: two very different presidents face off