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On December 17, 2007, Putin said that he would become prime minister if Medvedev was elected president. On December 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a cabinet meeting in the capital Moscow. On the same day, Putin said at the United Russia Party Congress that if Medvedev is elected president, he is ready to become the prime minister of the government. Xinhua News Agency/AFP
Putin’s "Soul"
"I think,United States of AmericaThe president is a decent man. He is also a friend. He is criticized in all aspects, but he is a good man and a person to deal with. "
-Putin
Now, Americans are finally beginning to determine that what Bush saw was not Putin’s "soul".
Since the beginning of Putin’s second term, especially since the sharp speech against the United States at the Munich Security Conference in February this year, the tough confrontation on American foreign policy is far from what Bush expected.
At the Munich security conference in February, Putin’s anti-American sentiment exploded. For 32 minutes! He bombarded the unilateralism and "excessive use of force" of the United States, and shouted at the American delegation sitting in the first row, "Who would like this?"
While slamming the United States, Putin did not hesitate to praise Bush. He said that although the two of them have different views in many aspects, Bush is a good person. "I think that the President of the United States is a decent man. He is also a friend. He was criticized in all aspects, but he is a good man and a person to deal with. "
If the Munich security conference at the beginning of the year was still Putin’s "one-man show", then the G-8 summit held in Heiligendamm, Germany in June can be called Putin and Bush’s "two-person turn".
Before the meeting, the two angry leaders began to threaten each other. Bush went to Prague and personally peddled the anti-missile system plan. Putin responded that if the United States establishes a missile defense system in Eastern Europe, Russia will aim the nuclear bomb at Europe. Then, Bush questioned the development of democracy in Russia, saying that Russia’s reform has been "off track". In this regard, Putin replied: "You asked me if I was a’ pure Democrat’? Of course it is. Absolutely. The problem is that I am too lonely. After the death of Mahatma Gandhi, there is no one to talk to. "
For Bush, this trip to Heiligendamm was not pleasant. Before the visit, Bush made a full draft, trying to persuade Russia not to worry too much about the deployment of the anti-missile system by the United States in Eastern Europe.
Unexpectedly, Putin took a 180-degree turn when they met, and unexpectedly put forward a brand-new proposal: if the United States transfers the missile defense system originally planned to be deployed in the Czech Republic and Poland to Azerbaijan, Russia will not oppose it, nor will it seek to aim the missile at Europe.
For a while, Bush really didn’t know what to say about Putin’s suggestion except "interesting".
"I have to admit that Putin has made a point in diplomacy," commented an article in Washington post. "The replacement plan of the missile base may be a bad idea, but at least the dispute has been put on hold for the time being, avoiding the stranding of the G-8 summit, which is also considered to be boundless."