Les Jones

News > Bush Telegraphs Message to Putin Ahead of Visit.

This should make Steve K happy:

Reflecting Western concern at a perceived authoritarian drift in Moscow, Bush made his most pointed public comment in months about the state of Russia's democracy ahead of talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Treading carefully, Bush said the United States supports Russian entry into the World Trade Organization, but that "for Russia to make progress as a European nation, the Russian government must renew a commitment to democracy and the rule of law."

While reform will not happen overnight, Bush said, "The United States and all European nations should place democratic reform at the heart of their dialogue with Russia." It was a message Bush has been delivering privately to Putin.