Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron appear awkward as they shake hands in first meeting in Versailles

Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron appeared awkward as they shook hands and posed for photos in the Palace of Versailles in France.

All eyes were on the French and Russian President’s body language as they came face to face for the first time against a backdrop of increasingly fraught trans-Atlantic relations.

Speculation over tension between the pair has been heightened by the newly elected French leader’s now infamous white knuckle handshake with Donald Trump at the Nato conference last week, with Mr Macron later saying the showdown was “not innocent” and was, in fact, a “moment of truth”.

Although Mr Macron and Mr Putin initially engaged in a cordial but somewhat perfunctory handshake and exchanged smiles after Mr Putin stepped out onto the red carpet from his limousine, they looked stern and serious as they walked into Versailles.

Once inside the opulent palace just outside of Paris, the world leaders appeared somewhat awkward and uncomfortable as they shook hands and held the pose for the cameras. Sitting side by side on gilted seats, they both struggled to get comfortable, with Mr Putin seemingly looking less than impressed.

The pair’s hour-long meeting, which has not been attended by any aides and only translators, is expected to be an awkward one. There are a number of potential flashpoints that could be intensified by recent friction between Europe and the US and mounting foreign policy difficulties facing European leaders.

At the G7 summit in Sicily at the weekend, Mr Macron said: "It is essential to talk to Russia because there are a number of international issues that will not be resolved without a tough dialogue with them."

Not only has France taken a tough stance against Moscow over Russia’s intervention in Ukraine, Mr Putin appeared to support the French President’s nationalist, populist rival Marine Le Pen during the presidential campaign. He hosted Ms Le Pen in Russia just a month before the election's first round.

What’s more, during the campaign, Mr Macron’s digital campaign manager argued the then candidate was being targeted by Russia in a simultaneous campaign of both hacking and fake news.

Mr Macron is hosting the Russian leader at the Palace of Versailles to mark 300 years of Franco-Russian diplomacy that started under Russian Czar Peter the Great. A press conference will be held directly after the meeting but only four questions will be taken.