Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Kremlin in Moscow March 17, 2008. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday he saw a chance to move relations with the United States forward after he received what he called a "serious document" from US President George W. Bush. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
The top US diplomat and defense official arrived in Moscow Monday and are expected to talk with their Russian counterparts under a two-plus-two framework in a meeting slated for Tuesday.
The talks are expected to focus on an array of issues such as US plans to deploy a third anti-missile system in Central Europe, Russia's postponing of its obligations in an arms control treaty, as well as Kosovo and other regional and international issues, Kremlin sources said.
Putin, who is to move out of the Kremlin office and is to take the post of Prime Minister in Medvedev's cabinet in May, said he has received a message from his US counterpart George W. Bush which contains suggestions on Russian-US relations.
"If we can agree on the main points, our dialogue will be productive," Itar-Tass quoted him as saying.
