NPR: Putin: No Data That Iran Is Trying to Build a Bomb

Putin: No Data That Iran Is Trying to Build a Bomb

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and French President Nicolas Sarkozy review an honor guard in Moscow today.

Dmitry Astakhov/AFP/Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that his government has seen no data showing that Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb and that Russia will proceed as if Iran has no plans to build one. But Putin, who was speaking at a joint news conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, did say he shares "the concern of our partners that all programs should be as transparent as possible," according to the BBC.

Sarkozy said that after meeting with Putin, their positions on Iran were closer. Sarkozy described the talks as "frank" and "passionate" and said his relationship with Putin is developing well.

Sarkozy's ebullient appraisal of his first official visit to Russia prompted Ian Traynor to note in The Guardian that Putin seems to have a style that makes other world leaders "go weak at the knees."

But Traynor notes Putin's charm doesn't work on everyone:

Seems to be a male thing, all this touchy-feely bonding at the dacha. Putin's appeal appears to be lost on the powerful female. By strange coincidence, the two most powerful women politicians in the world, Angela Merkel of Germany and Condoleezza Rice of America, are fluent Russian speakers. So maybe they see through the Russian leader's seduction strategies.

Maybe that was behind those shirtless fly-fishing photos.

12:01 PM ET | 10-10-2007 | permalink

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