Leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized nations are meeting in the German resort town of Heiligendamm on the Baltic Sea near Kuehlungsborn in northern Germany.

They will have an informal dinner and some bilateral talks Wednesday before getting down to official business on Thursday.

The reported meeting between Harper and Putin comes as tensions between Russia and the United States over a missile defence shield threaten to overshadow the G8 summit, putting key issues such as climate change and aid for Africa, at risk.

Putin has slammed the proposed anti-missile bases in Europe, telling The Globe and Mail that he would aim Russian ballistic and cruise missiles at European targets if the U.S. went ahead with the plan to build the bases.

It's unclear what Harper will say to Putin when the two meet. Source...