US President Barack Obama held his first meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin here today and hoped that talks between them would put bilateral relations "on a much stronger basis".
Obama, on his first visit to Russia since becoming President met Putin this morning at the prime minister's country residence, a day after inking a landmark strategic arms reduction treaty with President Dmitry Medvedev.
After exchanging pleasantries, Putin told Obama that Russia is hoping for better relations with the US, following the disagreements that arose with the previous administration, Itar Tass reported.
Putin told Obama that Russia hinges its hopes of mending the badly-damaged ties between the two countries on Obama, Itar Tass reported.
"We link your name with our hopes for the development of Russian-US relations," he said.
Obama said the meeting provides an opportunity to "put US-Russian relations on a much stronger basis".
Ties between the two Cold-War rivals have been marked with several strains, including over arms control, NATO expansion, and US missile defense plans for Europe.
The two leaders had traded barbs ahead of the US President's visit, with Obama terming Putin a man who has 'one foot in the past' and the prime minister responding by saying that 'Russians do not stand with feet apart'.
