President Bush Ends Trip with Meeting With Russian President Vladimir Putin
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH:
We have had over the past four years very constructive relations, and that's the way I'm going to keep it for the next four years as well. We've had an open and candid exchange of views and positions. You're a leader of a great nation, and I'm fortunate enough to be one, too.
Vladimir's been a — ever since Sept. 11, he has clearly understood the stakes that we face. And every time we meet, he is — we have an interesting and constructive strategy session about how to continue to protect our peoples from attack.
He has confronted some serious attacks in his country. I know what that means, as a fellow leader. I know the strain. I know the agony. I know the sadness. We agreed that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon, and I appreciate Vladimir's understanding on that issue. We understand that in the 21st century, strong countries are built by developing strong democracies.
And so we talked about democracy. Democracies always reflect a country's customs and culture, and I know that. Yet democracies have certain things in common; they have a rule of law, and protection of minorities, a free press, and a viable political opposition. I was able to share my concerns about Russia's commitment in fulfilling these universal principles. I did so in a constructive and friendly way.
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