"Prime Minister Putin still has a lot of sway in Russia and I think it is important that even as we move forward with President Medvedev, that Putin understands that the old Cold War approaches to U.S.-Russian relations are outdated,"

VOA: standard.2009.07.06

Corruption monitors say the issue of big money in politics pales in comparison to the abuse of government resources by the United Russia party of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who announced on March 04 he had won Russia's presidential election , returning the former KGB officer to the office he held from 2000 to 2008.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The ones that we anticipate -- the leaders that we anticipate the President meeting on the margins right now are Premier Wen of China, Prime Minister Noda of Japan -- so nothing on Russia.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House

Dmitry Medvedev, whom Mr Putin last year made a deputy prime minister, suggests a version of Russia as a modern, if troubled state.

ECONOMIST: Russian politics