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Anatoly Maltsev / EPA
Russian President Vladimir Putin has a cup of coffee in a restaurant during an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Week event in Vladivostok, Russia, Thursday.
MOSCOW -- President Vladimir Putin said in an interview aired Thursday that Russia can work with Mitt Romney if he's elected U.S. president, even though Romney has called Russia the United States' "No. 1 geopolitical foe."
However, Putin also suggested that a Romney presidency would widen the rift over an anti-missile shield the United States is deploying in Europe.
The Russian leader held out hope for an end to the missile defense dispute if Barack Obama is re-elected in November, telling Russia's RT television he was "an honest person who really wants to change much for the better."
Romney has promised "less flexibility and more backbone" in policy on Russia if he wins the Nov. 6 election.
"As for Mr. Romney's position, we understand that it is in part...campaign rhetoric, but I think it is, of course, without a doubt mistaken," Putin said.
"Because to conduct oneself like that in the international arena is the same as using the instruments of nationalism and segregation in the domestic politics of your own country," he added.
Powell to Romney on foreign policy: 'Come on, Mitt, think'
"We'll work with whichever president is elected by the American people. But our effort will be only as efficient as our partners will want it to be," Putin said.
Relations between Moscow and Washington improved after Obama moved to "reset" ties, but have been strained by disputes over issues ranging from global security to human rights.
Tensions between President Barack Obama and Russia President Vladimir Putin are making it more difficult for the two countries to find common ground on issues like Syria and Iran. Former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov discusses.
Putin said Russia would continue to talk with Washington but "protect itself and preserve the strategic balance" if the United States pushed ahead with the anti-missile shield, which Moscow sees as a threat.
Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama agree to continue discussions on Iran, Syria
In some of his most extensive public comments since he started a six-year term in May, Putin also dismissed Western criticism on issues ranging from Syria to the conviction of three anti-government protesters from the punk band Pussy Riot.
Putin was asked whether Moscow should rethink its stance on Syria after vetoing three Western-backed U.N. Security Council resolutions designed to pressure Assad to end violence that has killed 20,000 people.
"Why should only Russia re-evaluate its position?" he said. "Maybe our partners in the negotiation process should re-evaluate their position."
'Dangerous and short-sighted'
Without naming any country, he hinted the United States was looking to militants to help topple Assad and would regret it, drawing a parallel with U.S. support for the mujahideen who fought Soviet forces in Afghanistan during the Cold War.
"Today somebody is using al-Qaida fighters or people from other organizations with the same extreme views to achieve their goals in Syria," Putin said. "This is a very dangerous and short-sighted policy."
Russia's Putin takes to sky to lead flight of cranes
He noted that the United States had imprisoned many alleged Islamic militants at Guantanamo Bay and said it might as well "open the gates to Guantanamo and let all the Guantanamo inmates into Syria, let them fight. It's the same thing."
Russia's President-elect Vladimir Putin won an election that independent observers say was neither free nor fair. Monitors found multiple ballots were cast in a third of polling stations. However they conceded that Mr. Putin would still have won regardless of vote-rigging. ITN's Bill Neely reports.
Putin has signed laws in his new term that critics say are part of a campaign to suppress dissent after the biggest protests of his 12 years in power. Putin said he acted to instill order and that he had taken steps to improve democracy.
"What is 'tightening the screws'?" he said. "If this means the demand that everyone, including representatives of the opposition, obey the law, then yes, this demand will be consistently implemented."
Pussy Riot's name 'indecent'
Putin declined to comment on the sentences handed down to three women from punk band Pussy Riot jailed for two years for performing a raucous anti-Putin song inside a Moscow cathedral.
"I know what is going on with Pussy Riot, but I am staying out of it completely", he told the channel.
Russia prosecutors seek 3 years for punk rockers
But he suggested the band's notoriety had forced its "indecent" name into public discourse, reinforcing the point by prodding his interviewer to translate the word "pussy."
"I want to direct your attention to the moral side of the issue," he added, describing a previous group-sex stunt that included at least one of the convicted women and adding a off-color joke of his own about group sex.
Rock Center special projects producer Tim Uehlinger gives a behind-the-scenes look at producing 'Russian Spring.' The story brought Uehlinger and Rock Center's Harry Smith to Moscow during the dead of winter. The only thing to keep them warm: a Putin-cino.
Putin said abuses committed against the Russian Orthodox Church and other faiths during the Soviet era made the Pussy Riot protest particularly offensive and meant "the state is obliged to protect the feelings of believers."
KGB-style threat? Putin foe charged with theft
Kremlin opponents and defense lawyers accused Putin of influencing last month's trial and sentence, which the United States and European nations branded disproportionate.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
The greatly sought after Putin endorsement has come in.
Romney sees Puta and Obama as enemies because they are both Socialists. Obama sees Puta as a friend because he is a Socialist. nuff said!
This is to Republicansfor obama- you are a liberal, lying dirtbag. There are no Republicans for Obama.
Putin is a very clever fox. He understands outside of Moscow & St. Petersburg, most of the Russian people would follow him to the moon. He relies on the mistrust most Russians have for the west due to such things as the wars given to them by Napoleon, The Kaiser and Hitler. Putin understands you can not find one family in Russia that has not suffered greatly from these 3 wars. You are looking at about 40 million Russians killed due to these wars. Putin, as well as the former USSR, keeps these memories alive and well.
I have read several posts here that Russia is nothing like it was as a potential foe, during the cold war years. You do not hear much about it here, but Putin is doing a great job modernizing the Russian military. He is making it more leaner and meaner. You better believe it would be a formidable foe to go up against. Even a door knob should understand the only reason he gives a damn about Syria is the navel port he has there, linking his fleets together of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
What does he truly think about BHO, it is said all over Moscow that he believes BHO to be the Gorbachev of the USA. If anyone thinks he trusts BHO, forget it. He is doing what ever in hopes of no matter the result of our elections, taking pressure off his western boarder. His biggest threat is still China and what is going on in Dagestan.
American Girl, you are one screwed up mess. Anyone that disagrees with you is either a liar or in denial. You really think highly of yourself. As for Putin, if he prefers Obama then that only confirms that my decision to vote Obama out is the correct one. It would be interesting to hear more conversations between the two of them when the microphone is off. Obama thinks nothing of slipping policies through even when it's obvious the majority of the legal citizens do not want them. He and American Girl both feel they should dictate what is best for our country. For my part I want him out.
Vladimir Putin, a real testimonial for Obama's character...I'm liking the fact that he is wary of Romney...
Romney/Ryan 2012
Hey Ruskie, Let me set your Communist azz straight.
First your a damn liar if you say o bama is honest...we all know that is as far from the truth as islam is from God.
Second, your a russian liar ...what did our liar and chump as off-mic (maybe) I will have more flexibility after the election....
Crooked and a Liar you are two pee's in a pod or let me puttin it in something you can understand...
...o bama stupid anti-American commie FK...
...Putin Stupid Liar Commie FK...
now do the world a favor and Hammer your head then cycle your neck...
russian PUKE!
When does Obama roll out the "Putin for Obama 2012" ads?
I've been to Russia and I've seeen what Putin is doing to foster an overt resurgence back toward Socialism/Communisim there. (Now it is more covert...but make no mistake. He is an old KGB style dictator and in total control). If Putin thinks Obama is an "honest" guy...We should all RUN AWAY from Obama! Putin WANTS a weak America. That would allow him to do more globally against us. Putin is making advances on Venezuela and Cuba. He is rebuilding his military. He wants us NOT to go through with the western Europe missle shield. He WANTS us to reduce our nuclear missle stock. Just listen to the "hot mike" conversation between Obama and Medvedev earlier this year. If that doesn't send a chill down your spine...there is no hope!
Putin needs to mind his own business - and If I were Obama, I would not consider an endorsement from an aspiring dictator who is practically bring back Stalinisn any kind of help.....
Oh it would be so much to the Communist rat's advantage if Obama won the election. NBC news, I believe, was the one who published the fact that Obama was making deals with Russia which he couldn't talk about until "after the election." So if Obama loses this election, Putin won't be able to discuss any kind of deals with anyone and the Communist scum of the earth won't get what Obama promised him. I believe that this happened after Obama just gave US owned islands to Russia by redrawing our borders.
You're kidding, right? An endorsement from Putin fer chr***sakes. Give me a freakin' break. Any of you Obama-supporting nimrods who think this is a good thing, I got a newflash for ya. Putin is a communist. You may want to wake up, folks. All endorsements are not a good thing. This one however, is somewhat appropriate, seeing as they both have such similar world views. Geesssh.
Putin is more than willing to work with the United States, as long as the United States does exactly what he wants. Please recall someone, seeking re-election, saying, "Tell Vlademir I can work with him on the missle defense system but i need time. wait until after elections." No disputing what he said, it was caught on tape and played on the news. i hope everyone remembers, come election time.
Cause I wanna vote for the guy that the ex-head of the KGB wants me to vote for....
Putin thinks Obama is honest. What an idiot!!!
Americans are not going to listen to Russian anybody - This is America - Our country ! Stupid to pay any attention to what Putin has to say -a career politician who would be dictator -of course he wants obama hussein as he is a weak president and putin would love that -he fears Mitt Romney because he would be a strong President and not give in to Russian or muslim anybody -like obama has.
So, were supposed to take the advice of the former head of the KGB? Not sure I'd appreciate getting a personal reference from this guy.
Besides, Putin and Obama have a deal cooking that will take fruition after Obama doesn't have to worry about being reelected - remember?
I'm a democrat and if I was on Obama staff I would want to kill Putin for that endorsement.
full disclosure I wanted to kill Putin before article as I think he's truly evil.
Let's hope it hurts Owebama more than it helps him. Many idiots will see it the other way around.
When the guy Putin is praising has had the backing of the Communist Party since he entered politics what else could he say. Putin is a sack of crap. One morre reason to dump them both in the Volga.
Well, go figure. Putin's comment is because Obama is going to cave in to their wishes if Obama is re-elected, making the United States even more weak. Evidence of this was what Obama was caught saying to Medvedev in that meeting a couple of months ago.
Obama is incompetent about the security of this country as well as Europe and his actions now could spell disaster in the future.
In addition, I heard today that there is strong evidence that the Obama administration received many warnings that there was going to be attacks on US embassies all over the Middle East on 9/11 before the video ever came out. What did he do? NOTHING! No extra security. More incompetence from the liberals' Messiah, Obama. I guess campaigning and going to fund raisers was more important to him than the security of our US embassy personnel. Pretty sad. It will be interesting to learn more about this as Obama will try to cover it up.
Well, there is no freedom of speech in Russia. BUCK UP friends. That's what America will be like with no constitution.
To: AmericanGirl who wrote:
"I think he said it because it's true, plain and simple; and after 8 years of dealing with warmongering Republicans, I bet it must be refreshing to finally speak to a President from the United States that's purely "honest".
You are seriously delusional, dear. I suggest you cease your political predjudices and open your closed eyes.
Like Obama said, just wait until after the election and then he will do whatever Russia wants him to do.
i hear some republicans saying'' WHO CARES WHAT PUTIN THINKS'' having Russian as U S foe will block us from leadership we always craving for.