European Forum

President Obama’s visit to Russia marks change in tone

US President Barack Obama arrived in Moscow on July 6th for his first working visit to the country in the capacity of President.

President Dmitry Medvedev
On the first day of his three-day visit he met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in an open meeting after which the doors were closed for several hours of one-on-one negotiations. As a result a number of agreements were reached. Significant steps forward included a nuclear arms agreement signed by both Presidents, which reduces their nuclear arms by as much as a third and an agreement on the US missile defence system plans for Poland and the Czech republic that have been a bone of contention for some time between the two major powers. Although no definite compromises were reached – Obama stated that his staff are researching the issue and will present an assessment in two-three months based on which a decision will be made – one breakthrough of value for Russia was achieved: defence systems were linked to attack systems. An agreement valuable to the US involves military transit to Afghanistan via the Russian airspace.

However, many disagreements still exist between the two leaders, one of the biggest ones concerning Georgia and the status of its break-away regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Nevertheless, both Presidents seemed satisfied with the day’s work and expressed renewed hope and optimism that the two countries would finally enter an era of cooperation after many years of cold animosity.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
On the second day Mr Obama met with Prime Minister Putin; a man that according to many is the true leader of Russia. Although criticising Putin just before his visit suggesting he had a "Cold War approach" to U.S.-Russian relations, White House sources have said Putin and Obama "formed the basis of a good relationship" during their two-hour meeting. Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Obama praised Putin's role in reviving Russia's economy and called for "a tone of mutual respect and consultation." For his part, Putin said he hoped U.S.-Russian ties would improve with Obama in the White House.

Russian civil society and opposition
In an important move, Obama spent the rest of July 7th meeting with the Russian civil society in a conference organised by NGOs and, later, with renowned Russian oppositionists not connected with the pro-Kremlin United Russia party -a feat unprecedented since the Presidency of Bill Clinton. The U.S. President met for an hour with several key opposition leaders, which included United Civil Front leader and founder of the Solidarity opposition movement, Garry Kasparov; chair of the Solidarity movement Boris Nemtsov; Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov; Right Cause chairman Leonid Gozman, and Yabloko party leader Sergei Mitrokhin.

Vladimir Ryzhkov, an independent politician and former head of the Russian Republican party, said Obama had spent more time discussing civil-society issues on this trip than any other visiting U.S. president. Ryzhkov said the meeting with Obama touched on the case of jailed former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the suppression of free speech and free assembly, and the absence of competitive elections.

Kasparov presented Obama with a list of political prisoners. After the meeting, he commented: “The US president is prepared to establish relations, not just between the White House and the Kremlin, but between the American people and the Russian people”.

Nemtsov said that Obama listened sympathetically but said he needed to continue to work with Russia's leaders. Nemtsov called that a "reasonable position," and said the battle for democracy in Russia must be fought by Russians. "Liberating Russia from this corrupt bureaucracy is not Obama's obligation, it is ours. This is our battle," Nemtsov said, adding "We don't expect help from abroad. But we believe that America as a great world power and President Obama as a world leader must know what kind of condition Russia's political system is in. We also need to strengthen our contacts

Currently, President Obama and President Medvedev have left for a G8 summit in Italy.

Sources: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; The Other Russia; Source photo: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty