US President Barack Obama arrived in Moscow on Monday on a maiden visit to Russia to 'reset' the damaged bilateral ties and sign new accords, including a landmark arms reduction treaty to replace a Cold War era nuclear pact. He is accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia.
Several documents including framework accord on arms reduction and transit of US troops to Afghanistan via Russian territory are expected to be signed later on Monday. Moscow welcomed the First Family with an unusual mid-summer chill with temperature dropping to 12 degrees. Later today Obama is scheduled to hold five hours of formal and informal talks with President Dmitry Medvedev and address a joint press conference in the Kremlin.
The first day will conclude with a private dinner hosted by Medvedev family at their country retreat near Moscow.
During his three-day stay in Moscow, Obama would hold a US-Russia summit meeting with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, besides meeting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and former President Mikhail Gorbachev.Earlier in an interview to a Russian media outlet, Obama said he was looking forward to explore with Moscow the possibilities of cooperation on economic and defence issues besides on dealing with terrorism and issues like Iran.
"What I said coming in is that I wanted to press the reset button on relations between the US and Russia," he saidin Washington. Obama said his first step would be to provide a framework for replacing the Cold War-era missile treaty START. "My goal is that both countries reduce their nuclear stockpiles in a way that doesn't leave either country with an advantage, but reduces tensions and the expense of maintaining such high nuclear stockpiles," he had said.
Obama is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the New Economic School on US-Russia relations. He would travel to Italy for the G-8 Summit, besides visiting Ghana during his week-long trip during which he is accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia.
Image: US President Barack Obama (R), first lady Michelle Obama (L), daughters Sasha (L) and Malia step off Air Force One as they arrive at Vnukovo airport outside Moscow.
Photograph: Denis Sinyakov/Reuters
