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Bush, Putin meet amid discord over democracy
Changing the tone from tough talk to friendship, US and Russian Presidents went out of their way to stand unified on global problems.
Changing the tone from tough talk to buddy-buddy friendship, United States President George W Bush and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin went out of their way to take a unified stand on Middle East peace and terrorism on Sunday after sharp words in recent days about democratic backsliding and post-war Soviet domination.
A smiling Putin even put Bush behind the wheel of his prized 1956 Volga, a pristine white sedan, and let him take it for a spin around the grounds of his private compound 40 kilometers west of Moscow.
Putin also kidded the president about Laura Bush's recent comedy routine.
The happy picture of the two presidents summed up a theme that aides on both sides described — powerful leaders who have a strong relationship and can discuss their disagreements.
Bush and Putin seemed determined not to cast a cloud over Monday's celebration in Red Square of the 60th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat, a victory that cost the Soviet Union the lives of nearly 27 million soldiers and citizens.
"It is a moment where the world will recognise the great bravery and sacrifice the Russian people made in the defeat of Nazism," Bush said, sitting alongside Putin in front of a ceramic fireplace in his dacha.
"The people of Russia suffered incredible hardship, and yet the Russian spirit never died out."
"Russia's a great nation and I'm looking forward to working together on big problems," Bush said. "And I want to thank you for your help on Iran and the Middle East and there's a lot we can do together."
In their private talks, Bush even complimented Putin on a speech that had raised eyebrows in Washington last month, when the Russian leader said demise of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century.
US national security adviser Stephen Hadley said the leaders had a "straightforward talk" about Russia's tensions with the Baltic countries and Russia's internal problems.
But he characterised the approach as "a little explanation to make sure the president (Putin) understood the message" Bush was presenting when he was in Latvia over the weekend and then in the former Soviet republic of Georgia on Tuesday.
But mostly, Hadley said, Bush emphasised areas of agreement and the belief that it was also time to move on to the many other elements of the relationship that are important.
While Bush had prodded Russia earlier to accept responsibility for Soviet annexation of the Baltics and welcome democracies on its borders, Hadley said, "We certainly don't characterise it as lecturing. And in the conversations I was in neither did President Putin."
