President Obama has scolded the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for failing to move on from Cold War dynamics. His remarks come on the eve of a much-anticipated trip to Moscow next week in which he aims to "hit the reset button" on relations with Russia. The Bush Administration's relationship with Mr Putin started warmly, with George Bush gushing that he could see into the soul of Mr Putin, then Russian President, and could trust him as a man to do business with. If Mr Obama was hoping to avoid that trap he certainly did so, but was more complimentary about Mr Putin's successor, Dmitri Medvedev, whom he said was aware of the dynamics of the current world order. Mr Obama was asked why he would meet Mr Putin at all on his three-day visit, in which he and Mr Medvedev will issue a joint pledge to cut their nuclear arsenals in half. Mr Obama said that the former President "still has a lot of sway" and needed to hear what he had to say -- an acknowledgement of his continued influence, while simultaneously sending Mr Putin a message that he regards him as yesterday's man. "It's important that even as we move forward with President Medvedev, Putin understands that the old Cold War approach to US-Russian relations is outdated; that it's time to move forward in a different direction," he said.
President Obama has scolded the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for failing to move on from Cold War dynamics. His remarks come on the eve of a much-anticipated trip to Moscow next week in which he aims to "hit the reset button" on relations with Russia.
The Bush Administration's relationship with Mr Putin started warmly, with George Bush gushing that he could see into the soul of Mr Putin, then Russian President, and could trust him as a man to do business with. If Mr Obama was hoping to avoid that trap he certainly did so, but was more complimentary about Mr Putin's successor, Dmitri Medvedev, whom he said was aware of the dynamics of the current world order.
Mr Obama was asked why he would meet Mr Putin at all on his three-day visit, in which he and Mr Medvedev will issue a joint pledge to cut their nuclear arsenals in half. Mr Obama said that the former President "still has a lot of sway" and needed to hear what he had to say -- an acknowledgement of his continued influence, while simultaneously sending Mr Putin a message that he regards him as yesterday's man. "It's important that even as we move forward with President Medvedev, Putin understands that the old Cold War approach to US-Russian relations is outdated; that it's time to move forward in a different direction," he said.
The US president has cautioned Russia's government against using "old Cold War approaches" when dealing with Washington, saying that such strategies are outdated. Barack Obama said, in an interview with the Associated Press news agency, that Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, "has one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new". Obama acknowledged that while Putin "still has sway" in Russia, Washington is forging a "very good relationship" with Dmitry Medvedev, Putin's successor as president. Obama dismissed notions that Moscow has sought to complicate US efforts to engage with North Korea and Iran over their respective nuclear programmes. The Russian government has provided "good co-operation" with the US administration in addressing issues with Pyongyang and Tehran, he said. Obama is scheduled to leave next week on a trip to Russia, Italy and Ghana.
The US president has cautioned Russia's government against using "old Cold War approaches" when dealing with Washington, saying that such strategies are outdated.
Barack Obama said, in an interview with the Associated Press news agency, that Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, "has one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new".
Obama acknowledged that while Putin "still has sway" in Russia, Washington is forging a "very good relationship" with Dmitry Medvedev, Putin's successor as president.
Obama dismissed notions that Moscow has sought to complicate US efforts to engage with North Korea and Iran over their respective nuclear programmes.
The Russian government has provided "good co-operation" with the US administration in addressing issues with Pyongyang and Tehran, he said.
Obama is scheduled to leave next week on a trip to Russia, Italy and Ghana.
