Michele Obama Shines In Moscow While Husband Improves US- Russia Relationship

Politics aside: First ladies job
07 July, 2009

While President Obama was busy with diplomacy Americas first lady visited a school for nurses in Moscow, where she spoke to orphans and was given a traditional Russian matryoshka doll made by the children themselves.

Michelle Obama arrived in the Russian capital on Monday together with her two daughters and husband, who is in Russia on his first official visit as the head of the US.

Traditionally, first ladies spend a lot of time in public, visiting cultural events and talking to groups of children. Michelle Obamas time in Moscow is no exception.

Both Putin and Obama have made clear that a large gulf still exists between Moscow and Washington on such sensitive issues as Russia's influence over the post-Soviet space, energy politics and economic and trade rivalry. Another key issue, the need to prevent a nuclear Iran destabilising the Middle East, leaves big differences. Also, Russia resents the actions of the US in Iraq and the US role in the deepening global recession, while the US remains wary of Moscow's record on democracy and the rule of law.

Yet however tough the talks are, they should be frank and straightforward. There is no point in talking in glowing terms about personal chemistry, as former US President George W. Bush did about Putin during their first terms, while harbouring deep policy disagreements.

What is required, however, is flexibility.

If Obama and the Putin-Medvedev tandem can work out a way of reaching compromises then tensions can really be reduced.

The need for cooperation is great and pressing - on any number of potentially dangerous issues. An increasingly belligerent trade policy from various global actors could lead to a nasty trade war and aggressive protectionism.

This could all too easily spill over into new military tensions and conflicts.

The comments by Obama on the eve of the summit about Putin having "one foot in the past" could be taken as either incredibly bold or a crass blunder. Putin responded clearly, saying that the US leader would change his point of view, and insisting that he was only looking forward. The most likely scenario is that Obama's comments were a combination of genuine belief, a tough negotiating position and a need to please a domestic political elite that is less aware of the need to work closely with Russia.

One thing that should give us hope for a real reset in Russian-US ties is the practicality of the leaders involved. Obama has managed to build a broad consensus across political lines in the United States, counting as his allies Bush's former defence secretary Robert Gates and secretary of state Colin Powell, not to mention working closely with such prominent Republicans as Dr. Henry Kissinger.

In Russia, Putin came to power by managing to balance the interests of the various powerful clans emerging from Boris Yeltsin's era. And that balancing act has been maintained for the best part of a decade, in good part thanks to Putin's ability to forge alliances.

Both Putin and Obama are adept at making deals between liberals and conservatives.

Let's hope they can make a deal that sticks on the international stage too.

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[JohanOlsson]

she looks great =)

[MightyMondeGreen]

Wow, Carolyne, you Rock. So does our First Lady!