Degrading U.S.-Russia Relations Spur Meeting
Profile: Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to step down in March 2008. Read about his years in power.
U.S.-Russia Relations
Tensions between the United States and Russia have flared in recent months. Read more about the relationship between the countries and their leaders since the end of the Cold War.
In Focus
President Bush and Vladimir Putin seem to have been talking past each other in recent weeks.
The Russians don't like being lectured about democracy. The Bush administration doesn't like the fiery rhetoric coming out of Putin's Kremlin.
Relations have soured on issues ranging from democracy to missile defense. Both sides at least sound like they are in a rhetorical Cold War.
It's against this backdrop that the two men go to a more quiet location to see whether they can salvage their relationship in the waning months of their presidencies.
The U.S. hopes it will be a chance to stop what one official called a rhetorical race to the bottom.
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.