Vladimir Putin everyman — in pictures

The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, welcomes Vladimir Putin before their meeting at the Elysee palace in Paris Photograph: Eric Feferberg/AFP

Russia's prime minister, Vladimir Putin, rides a horse as he takes part in an expedition to a wildlife reserve to inspect the snow leopard's habitat in the republic of Tyva Photograph: Reuters

Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin meet at the latter's country residence home in Novo Ogaryovo, near Moscow Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP

Vladmir Putin and supermodel Naomi Campbell shake hands during an interview held at the International Tiger Conservation Forum Photograph: Konstantin Zavrazhin/Getty

Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel, and Putin inspect the guard of honour at the chancellery in Berlin Photograph: Gero Breloer/EPA

Putin takes part in a judo training session during a working visit to St Petersburg Photograph: Alexey Druzhinin/AFP

Putin and his wife Lyudmila walk to a polling station in Moscow Photograph: Ivan Sekretarev/AP

The Russian prime minister swims in a lake in southern Siberia's Tuva region Photograph: Reuters

Putin and Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, pose for photographers during the Caspian Sea leaders' summit in Tehran Photograph: Mikhail Klimentyev/AP

President Dmitry Medvedev and his prime minister drive snowmobiles at Russia's ski resort Krasnaya Polyana, near Sochi Photograph: Reuters

Putin plays the piano while visiting the Theatre of Nations Photograph: Alexei Nikolsky/AFP

A traumatologist gives Putin a medical check-up during the prime minister's visit to Smolensk Regional Hospital Photograph: Aleksey Druzhinin/AFP

Former presidents George W Bush and Vladimir Putin are ushered from their bilateral meeting in Sydney Photograph: Jason Reed/Reuters