The world turned its attention this morning to a much-anticipated call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, set to begin at 9:00 AM EST (4:00 PM Moscow Time).

Yet, in classic Putin fashion, the call didn’t start until 10:00 AM EST—an hour behind schedule. The White House confirmed the delayed start time without further comment, leaving the story to unfold from Moscow.

At the time the call was meant to begin, Putin wasn’t at the Kremlin but rather at a conference of industrialists and businessmen in Moscow, which kicked off at 4:00 PM Moscow Time.

During the event, the host brought up a reminder from Putin’s aide, Dmitry Peskov, about the scheduled call with Trump. Putin dismissed it with a smirk: “Don’t listen to him. That’s his job. Now we need to see what Trump says about this.” The room laughed, and Putin stayed put, mingling with attendees well past the appointed hour. He didn’t leave for the Kremlin until shortly before 5:00 PM Moscow Time, aligning with the call’s eventual start at 10:00 AM EST.

This hour-long wait fits Putin’s well-documented habit of keeping world leaders on hold, a tactic that’s frustrated figures like Barack Obama and Angela Merkel in the past. Whether a subtle power move or just a busy day, it left Trump and the global audience in suspense as pressing matters—like the Russia-Ukraine conflict—awaited discussion.

The White House hasn’t said whether Trump addressed the delay during the call, and the Kremlin, unsurprisingly, offered no regrets. For Putin, this appears to be par for the course: a reminder that he calls the shots, even when the world is watching. Details of the conversation remain under wraps, but the lead-up alone speaks volumes.