Obama huddles with Putin, backs France's pursuit of deadly terrorists, on sidelines of G-20 summit

Nov. 15, 2015: President Obama, left, talks with Russiaís President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey. (AP)

President Obama said Sunday at an international summit that America stands with France in its pursuit of those who committed the “horrific” terror attacks in Paris and met informally with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We stand in solidarity with (France) in hunting down the perpetrators of this crime and bringing them to justice,” Obama said during the first day of the Group of 20 economic summit in Turkey.

The two-day summit follows the terror attacks in and around Paris on Friday night that killed 129 people and wounded hundreds more.

The Islamic State has taken credit for the attacks. The terror group has flourished in Syria, where the United States is supporting rebel forces trying to remove President Bashar Assad, while Russia has increased airstrikes to destroy the rebel forces that support Assad.

The United States also has been critical of Putin’s actions in neighboring Ukraine. Putin annexed Ukraine's eastern peninsula of Crimea in the aftermath of residents last year ousting pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovich. And Putin has since backed forces trying to disrupt Ukraine’s new, pro-Democratic government.

Rival's Obama and Putin on Sunday chatted in a foursome with Obama's National Security Adviser Susan Rice and a Russian aide.

Their meeting was visible on a television feed provided by the summit's host country of Turkey, but their conversation couldn't be heard.

Reporters weren't allowed in for the meeting, which took place during a working lunch for leaders attending the summit.

Obama and Putin both leaned in close to each other as they talked, with Obama gesturing expressively with his hands.

“The skies have been darkened by the horrific attacks that took place in Paris,” Obama also said in his public address. “The killing of innocent people based on a twisted ideology is an attack not just on France … it's an attack on the civilized world.

“As a NATO ally, we have worked together to bring about pressure on (the Islamic State) even as we also try to bring about a political transition inside of Syria.”

He said world leaders at the summit will also discuss how to work together to fortify the borders between Syria and Turkey that have allowed the Islamic State to operate and the burden Turkey has incurred in taking in Syrian refugees.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.