Bush, Putin in friendly mood at farewell summit
(Recasts, updates with details from dinner)
By Susan Cornwell and Oleg Shchedrov
SOCHI, Russia, April 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush joined Russia's Vladimir Putin in a folk dance on Saturday as they paraded their personal chemistry a final time before getting down to tricky talks on NATO and missile defence.
Bush flew in to the Russian leader's vacation home on the Black Sea for a farewell "heart-to-heart" with Putin designed to polish his legacy and try to narrow differences on a raft of issues that have severely strained U.S.-Russian ties.
Bush and Putin were joined at dinner in the seaside resort of Sochi by Dmitry Medvedev, who will take over as Russian president next month. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said they had started off "the new relationship on the right foot."
She said at one point, Bush and Putin had got up on stage to dance with a folk ensemble who were entertaining the guests.
The U.S. leader hopes to capitalise on a less strident tone struck by Putin at a NATO summit in Bucharest earlier this week, where he attacked Western military expansion near Russia's borders but also implored: "Let's be friends, guys."
The thorniest issue they will face when they sit down for formal talks on Sunday is the U.S. plan for a missile defence shield in eastern Europe, a system Washington says is needed to protect against Iran but Moscow says threatens its security.
Perino said dialogue on compromise proposals to ease the shield row was "headed in the right direction" but acknowledged it was unlikely a deal would be finalised this weekend.
The two men are though expected to sign an agreement on the "strategic framework" of U.S.-Russian relations -- a document observers say is designed to encapsulate the legacy they will bequeath to their successors.
Bush was meeting the Russian leader seven years after saying he had peered into Putin's soul and trusted him. Since then, rows over Kosovo, missile defence and Russia's rights records have led some observers to talk of a Cold War-style atmosphere.
But showing their rapport was still intact, the two leaders shared a hug as Bush arrived at Putin's vacation compound and exchanged jokes, smiles and asides as they were briefed on plans for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.
Bush and Putin, along with first lady Laura and Medvedev, sat at the same table for a dinner that included venison fillet, pancakes with red caviar and berry pie with ice cream.
White House spokeswoman Perino described the atmosphere as easygoing, in keeping with the warm personal relationship Bush and Putin have forged in over 20 meetings.
LEGACY
Bush, who like Putin is in the twilight of his presidency, is out to salvage a foreign policy legacy dominated by the Iraq war, which has damaged U.S. credibility.
He is also struggling to stay relevant on the world stage now that his economic stewardship is under fire and attention is focused on whoever will succeed him in January 2009.
For his part, Putin is looking for a smooth transition of Russia's presidency to his protege Medvedev, who will be sworn into office on May 7.
Bush will hold separate talks with Medvedev on Sunday and possibly have a chance to gauge how much power Putin, who will become prime minister, will continue to wield at the Kremlin.
As a guest of honour at the NATO summit in Bucharest, Putin stopped short of the searing attacks he had launched on Washington and its allies in the past.
NATO leaders rebuffed Bush's call to put Georgia and Ukraine on an immediate path to membership, a move some Europeans feared would have deeply antagonised Russia.
But Moscow made clear its concern about the alliance's ultimate decision -- a promise to the two former Soviet republics that they would eventually be allowed in. (Writing by Matt Spetalnick and Christian Lowe; Editing by Matthew Jones)
By Susan Cornwell and Oleg Shchedrov
SOCHI, Russia, April 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush joined Russia's Vladimir Putin in a folk dance on Saturday as they paraded their personal chemistry a final time before getting down to tricky talks on NATO and missile defence.
Bush flew in to the Russian leader's vacation home on the Black Sea for a farewell "heart-to-heart" with Putin designed to polish his legacy and try to narrow differences on a raft of issues that have severely strained U.S.-Russian ties.
Bush and Putin were joined at dinner in the seaside resort of Sochi by Dmitry Medvedev, who will take over as Russian president next month. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said they had started off "the new relationship on the right foot."
She said at one point, Bush and Putin had got up on stage to dance with a folk ensemble who were entertaining the guests.
The U.S. leader hopes to capitalise on a less strident tone struck by Putin at a NATO summit in Bucharest earlier this week, where he attacked Western military expansion near Russia's borders but also implored: "Let's be friends, guys."
The thorniest issue they will face when they sit down for formal talks on Sunday is the U.S. plan for a missile defence shield in eastern Europe, a system Washington says is needed to protect against Iran but Moscow says threatens its security.
Perino said dialogue on compromise proposals to ease the shield row was "headed in the right direction" but acknowledged it was unlikely a deal would be finalised this weekend.
The two men are though expected to sign an agreement on the "strategic framework" of U.S.-Russian relations -- a document observers say is designed to encapsulate the legacy they will bequeath to their successors.
Bush was meeting the Russian leader seven years after saying he had peered into Putin's soul and trusted him. Since then, rows over Kosovo, missile defence and Russia's rights records have led some observers to talk of a Cold War-style atmosphere.
But showing their rapport was still intact, the two leaders shared a hug as Bush arrived at Putin's vacation compound and exchanged jokes, smiles and asides as they were briefed on plans for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.
Bush and Putin, along with first lady Laura and Medvedev, sat at the same table for a dinner that included venison fillet, pancakes with red caviar and berry pie with ice cream.
White House spokeswoman Perino described the atmosphere as easygoing, in keeping with the warm personal relationship Bush and Putin have forged in over 20 meetings.
LEGACY
Bush, who like Putin is in the twilight of his presidency, is out to salvage a foreign policy legacy dominated by the Iraq war, which has damaged U.S. credibility.
He is also struggling to stay relevant on the world stage now that his economic stewardship is under fire and attention is focused on whoever will succeed him in January 2009.
For his part, Putin is looking for a smooth transition of Russia's presidency to his protege Medvedev, who will be sworn into office on May 7.
Bush will hold separate talks with Medvedev on Sunday and possibly have a chance to gauge how much power Putin, who will become prime minister, will continue to wield at the Kremlin.
As a guest of honour at the NATO summit in Bucharest, Putin stopped short of the searing attacks he had launched on Washington and its allies in the past.
NATO leaders rebuffed Bush's call to put Georgia and Ukraine on an immediate path to membership, a move some Europeans feared would have deeply antagonised Russia.
But Moscow made clear its concern about the alliance's ultimate decision -- a promise to the two former Soviet republics that they would eventually be allowed in. (Writing by Matt Spetalnick and Christian Lowe; Editing by Matthew Jones)
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