Friendship in Politics: Myth or Reality?

The 30th of July marks the International Day of Friendship. Established by the United Nations in 2011, this day promotes the role that friendship plays in bringing people and nations together.

To help you celebrate this day without missing out on the global political agenda Sputnik presents its collection of photos featuring prominent politicians and celebrities who share their moments of friendship.   

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© Sputnik / Alexei Druzhinin

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Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with former Italian prime minister and leader of Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party Silvio Berlusconi at the Fiumicino airport in Rome, Italy.

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© AFP 2023 / KCNA

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un hugging former NBA star Dennis Rodman during a dinner in Pyongyang.

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© AP Photo / Elise Amendola

Singer Beyonce during the inauguration ceremony for President Barack Obama in Washington on 20 January 2009.

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© Sputnik / Aleksey Nikolskyi

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Actor Steven Seagal and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the country's first mixed martial arts championship on 11 August 2012.

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© AP Photo / Charles Dharapak

US President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner play golf at Andrews Air Force on 18 June 2011.

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© AP Photo / Kevin Wolf

Actress Meryl Streep taking a selfie with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the Kennedy Centre Honours gala at the State Department in Washington on 1 December 2012.

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© AP Photo / Elise Amendola

Michelle Obama, wife of then-Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, and TV host Oprah Winfrey sit together during a rally in Manchester on 9 December 2007.

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© Sputnik / Vladimir Rodionov

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Russian President Vladimir Putin meets German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder at an airport in Moscow on 2 April 2004.

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© AP Photo / Elise Amendola

Donald Trump stops to talk to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady prior to the start of the game at Gillette Stadium, Saturday, 10 January 2004, in Foxborough, Massachusets.

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© AP Photo / Invision/Evan Agostini

Ivanka Trump, left, greets Chelsea Clinton on the red carpet at the 2014 Glamour Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall on 10 November 2014, in New York.

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© AP Photo / Alex Brandon

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George H. W. Bush smile at each other on the podium at the Tulane University Commencement in New Orleans on 13 May 2006.