Family Life

07.06.09 | FL News Team

President Obama is in Moscow to talk with Russian leaders on issues including arms cuts and cooperation on the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. Today, Obama will take part in talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev [[ med-VEH-dev ]]. Sources with Russia's Foreign Ministry say the two are expected to announce later today that they have come up with a framework agreement to reduce their nuclear weapon stockpiles. The agreement is expected to lead the way for negotiators to draw up a final pact on the matter to be signed in December, when the existing pact regulating the number of long-range nuclear weapons expires. Obama is also slated to have breakfast with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

The two nations have settled on arms control as the primary purpose of talks, but thorny issues including NATO expansion and last year's conflict between Russia and Georgia are dividing the two nations. In addition, Russia wants the U.S. to back down on a Bush-era plan to station missiles in Poland. Last week, Obama raised diplomatic hackles when he said Russian leader Vladimir Putin still had "one foot" in the Cold War.

While in Moscow, President Obama will also deliver a major speech on U.S.-Russian relations at the New Economic School. He will then travel to Italy midweek for a G8 global economic summit, where he is slated to have a private meeting with the Chinese president. He'll also visit Pope Benedict at the Vatican. On Friday night, Air Force One heads for Ghana, where President Obama will deliver a Saturday address to the Ghana Parliament on development and democracy.