Obama and Medvedev's Press Conference at G-8 in France Video

U.S.-Russian agreements.

Readout of Obama's Call With Russia's Medvedev

Russia is one of the three countries that opposed military action in Libya. Robert Gates recently visited Russia to try and find common ground on a missile defense system.

President Obama and President Medvedev spoke by phone this morning to discuss a wide range of issues in U.S.-Russia relations. The two presidents discussed developments in the Middle East at length, with a particular focus on Libya. President Obama expressed his appreciation for Russia’s support for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 and subsequent positive statements that President Medvedev has made regarding the resolution’s mandate. The two presidents also discussed the new momentum in Russia’s progress towards joining the World Trade Organization this year. President Obama affirmed his support for Russia’s accession into the WTO this year and also affirmed his commitment to work with the U.S. Congress to terminate the application of Jackson-Vanik to Russia and establish Permanent Normalized Trade Relations with Russia. The two presidents also discussed recent progress made in developing deeper cooperation on missile defense. President Obama affirmed why the United States believes that cooperation with Russia on missile defense could enhance the security of the United States, Russia, our allies, and our partners. The two presidents agreed to meet on the sidelines of the G-8 summit in Deauville, France at the end of May.

Biden in Moscow Working on Improving U.S. Russia Relations

Obama's Call to Russia's President Medvedev

From the White House:

President Obama called President Medvedev this morning to express his deepest condolences for yesterday's terrorist attack and his solidarity with the Russian people. President Obama reaffirmed his strong condemnation of this outrageous attack on innocent civilians and his commitment to work with Russia in combating terrorism. President Obama also congratulated President Medevedev on today's approval by the Duma of the new START treaty, and the two leaders pledged to build on this progress as they continue their close partnership in 2011.

White House Statement on Russian Judge

Apparently, courts in Russia aren't independent and Putin wanted Khodorkovsky in prison.

Statement by the Press Secretary, 12/27/2010

We are deeply concerned that a Russian judge today has indicated that for a second time Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev will be convicted. We are troubled by the allegations of serious due process violations, and what appears to be an abusive use of the legal system for improper ends. The apparent selective application of the law to these individuals undermines Russia’s reputation as a country committed to deepening the rule of law. The Russian government cannot nurture a modern economy without also developing an independent judiciary that serves as an instrument for furthering economic growth, ensuring equal treatment under the law, and advancing justice in a predictable and fair way.

The Obama administration stands in solidarity with the many people in the Russian government, in the legal system, and in civil society who are committed to strengthening the rule of law and deepening the commitment to universal values enshrined in the Russian constitution. Russia’s failure to keep this commitment to universal values, including the rule of law, impedes its own modernization and ability to deepen its ties with the United States.

President Obama has spoken frequently with President Medvedev about this case and others as part of their ongoing conversation about President Medvedev’s important campaign to strengthen the rule of law and modernize Russia’s political and economic system. We will continue to monitor closely the next stages in this case, including the fairness of the sentences and the review by higher courts during the appeals process.

Obama's Weekly Address on Nuclear Arms Treaty Nov. 20

Obama and Medvedev's Press Conference Nov. 13 Video

Obama and Medvedev Agree to Ratify Treaty

Obama is aiming to ratify the treaty in the lame duck session. Republicans are hoping to delay the treaty. That kind of opposition to diplomacy is only going to get worse when the republicans take over. Republicans are much less willing to work with the rest of the world diplomatically and more anxious to engage in war.

Obama and Medvedev meet next weekend -- Nov. 19-20 -- for the NATO Summit in Lisbon.

West Wing Week Video June 25

West Wing Week takes a break from the weekly rundown and answers some mail the White House gets, such as does it compost? Yes, it does. Someone asks about the eagle's head on the Oval Office rug and another asks when flags are flown at half staff. At the end of the clip, Obama and Medvedev head into Ray's Hell Burger.

Obama and Medvedev's Business Summit Video

Watch Obama and Medvedev's joint press conference here.

Obama Takes Medvedev to Ray's Hell Burger Video

Today during their joint press conference, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now on Twitter, called the burger joint tasty but probably not so healthy.

On the way to Ray's

Michelle Obama and Russia's First Lady Svetlana Medvedeva

Obama and Medvedev's Joint Press Conference

Update: Watch video of their business summit here. Read their joint statements here.
Medvedev seemed to have enjoyed his time in California. Read the White House fact sheet on U.S. Russia relations here. Full video:

Obama's Schedule June 24 Includes Medvedev Meeting

Today, Obama meets with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev at 10:30 am eastern. Medvedev has been in California meeting with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Medvedev is learning about alternative forms of energy in an effort to move Russia away from oil dependence.

11 am, Obama and Biden meet with Medvedev.

1:45 pm, Obama will hold a press conference with Medvedev. Michelle Obama will host first lady of Russia. They will visit Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

3:05 pm, Obama attends a business summit with Medvedev.

3:45 pm, Biden will meet with Israel's defense minister Ehud Barak.

Medvedev Visits White House June 22-23

From the White House:

President Obama is pleased to welcome President Dmitry Medvedev of the Russian Federation to the United States on June 22-24.

Over the last eighteen months, the United States and Russia have made significant strides in resetting relations between our two countries in ways that advance our mutual interests. Since first meeting in London in April 2009, President Obama and President Medvedev have collaborated closely to enhance the security and well-being of the American and Russian people, including the expansion of the Northern Distribution Network, which supplies our troops in Afghanistan; the signing of the New START Treaty, which reduces our nuclear arsenals, enhances transparency about our strategic forces, and demonstrates U.S. and Russian leadership in support of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; new sanctions against North Korea, designed to compel North Korea to adhere to its international obligations; the full and active pursuit of the dual track strategy that seeks Iran’s compliance with its international obligations regarding its nuclear program, including most recently UN Security Council Resolution 1929; and the creation of a Bilateral President Commission, which has expanded dramatically the interactions among Americans and Russians on a whole range of issues, including emergency disaster response, space, counternarcotics, counterterrorism, energy efficiency, and trade and investment, among others.

President Obama looks forward to using this next meeting with President Medvedev to explore possible avenues of greater cooperation regarding trade, investment and innovation. The two Presidents will hold a bilateral meeting at the White House on June 24, where they will discuss these issues, as well as other issues of mutual concern leading into the G-8 and G-20 meetings. In conjunction with the visit, Russian and American business leaders , as well as American and Russian civil society leaders, will be holding their own meetings in Washington. As President Medvedev seeks to promote innovation and modernization in Russia, President Obama is pleased that the Russian President will begin his trip to the United States by visiting the Silicon Valley, and have the opportunity to review the unique set of factors that has fostered this important center of technological advancement and entrepreneurship.

Obama's Interview With Russia TV

Significance of Obama's Nuclear Posture Report

Obama and Medvedev toast following signing of new treaty

Yet until Tuesday no American president had renounced the immoral claim that our nation had some God-granted right to use those weapons again. While we consistently insisted it was morally repugnant for any other state to follow in our footsteps, we continued to build ever deadlier versions of these intrinsically heinous weapons.
But that madness ended when Obama on Tuesday affirmed an all-important distinction that Bush, more than any other president, had insisted on blurring--the distinction between nuclear and all other weapons, including the chemical and biological varieties. Lumping them together as weapons of mass destruction denies the global life-ending threat that nukes alone present. The Nation

Republicans like having the option of destroying people with nuclear weapons:

The answer is that we have become inured to the danger and lulled into accepting these weapons as usable implements of war, an attitude reflected in Tuesday's reaction by Arizona Republican Senators Jon Kyle and John McCain, who in a joint statement denounced Obama's policy as limiting the nuclear "option." They repeated the old canard that nuclear weapons are a legitimate choice in response to a non-nuclear threat.
That will be the line of those who oppose the Senate's ratification of the new START agreement with Russia and the long-overdue passage of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. If they win in that debate there is no serious possibility of progress in preventing the further proliferation of nuclear weapons and breaking the death wish of those who still toy with the idea that such weapons are legitimate. Those in the peace movement who think Obama should have gone further in his efforts to put the nuke genie back in the bottle should tread carefully here. Instead of demanding perfection, they should be gratified that we finally have a president who has at least laid down some important markers of progress.

Obama needs 8 republicans to ratify the treaty that he and Dmitry Medvedev signed in Prague. Read Obama's statement on the Nuclear Posture Review here.

Obama and Medvedev Toast and Other Photos of the Day

Obama and Hillary in Prague
Obama admiring a tapestry in Prague Castle
Rolling out the red carpet for the our fabulous POTUS
Obama, Medvedev and others have din din at the Prague Castle

Obama and Medvedev Sign Treaty in Prague

Here is Obama speaking in Prague. Obama calls Medvedev a partner and a friend. See Obama's schedule in Prague here.


Here is the signing ceremony. It's like a wedding. They look so happy together. Want to know what they were signing? Read the text of the START treaty here:

Obama's Schedule in Prague April 8-9

No Nukes Vintage Obama Move

Obama is rewriting the rules on when nukes can be used. He'll be traveling to Prague on Thursday to sign a new nuke reduction treaty with Russia. Bloomberg's Al Hunt calls it a "vintage Obama move." I take that to mean something for both the left and the right to criticize. Bloomberg's Al Hunt says the facts are that for 60 years, U.S. has had a no nuke policy:

CBS reports that nuclear war between nations is no longer the threat. The threat is a rogue nuclear weapon in the hands of a terrorist who wouldn't think twice about using nukes: