President Obama announces new nuclear arms treaty with Russia

President Barack Obama delivers brief remarks about the new START Treaty during a news conference with (L-R) Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the White House March 26, 2010 in Washington, DC. Gates, Clinton and Mullen answered reporters' questions about the new treaty with Russia.

President Obama finalized a new arms control treaty with Russia on Friday that will pare back the still-formidable cold war nuclear arsenals of each country. The agreement brings to fruition one of the president’s signature foreign policy objectives, just days after he signed into law the most expansive domestic program in decades.

Ending a year of sometimes topsy-turvy negotiations, Mr. Obama and President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia sealed the deal in a morning telephone call, confirming resolution of the last outstanding details. They then announced they will fly to Prague to sign the treaty on April 8 in a ceremony designed to showcase improved relations between the two countries.

“With this agreement, the United States and Russia, the two largest nuclear powers in the world, also send a clear signal that we intend to lead,” Mr. Obama said, appearing in front of reporters at the White House to announce the agreement. “By upholding our own commitments under the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, we strengthen our global efforts to stop the spread of these weapons, and to ensure that other nations meet their own responsibilities.”

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President Obama and NATO Secretary General Rasmussen on Afghanistan, Russia (Video)

President Obama and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former President of Denmark, address the press after meeting in the Oval Office to discuss progress in Afghanistan. September 29, 2009.



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Obama Family Night in Moscow

Everyone should be used to this by now, even world leaders.

After passing on dinner with the French president to go on a date in the City of Light with his wife last month, President Obama took leave of his Russian hosts on Tuesday night to seclude himself in his Moscow hotel with his wife, Michelle, and their daughters.

The first family enjoyed a relaxed evening at the O2 Lounge, the super-chic, super-pricey rooftop club at the new Ritz-Carlton, although no doubt the Secret Service first cleared the place of most if not all of the swaggering tycoons and leggy models who flock to such Moscow venues.

They could not ask for a more scenic vista. The glass-enclosed O2 offers a panoramic view of Moscow, including Red Square and the Kremlin, all the more striking as the lingering summer sun sets after 10 p.m. The club is “a place to see and be seen,” as its Web site says — that is, unless you are a visiting president who after a day and a half of blinis, beluga and bilats (the diplo term for “bilateral meetings”) just wants to hang out with the clan.

The decision to brush off the Russians on one of his two nights here miffed some in the Moscow government who did not understand why he would not devote the scarce time to his hosts. Mr. Obama had dinner with President Dmitri A. Medvedev on Monday and lunch with him on Tuesday. But with the second dinner slot unavailable, he ended up having breakfast Tuesday with Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin, a known night owl not given to American-style early morning business meals.

The Obamas, though, wanted some downtime before getting back on Air Force One to head to Italy for three days of meetings at the Group of 8 summit meeting and, from there, to Ghana for a one-day visit. read more here.....

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Obama and Putin (video)

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Obama interview with NBC's Chuck Todd in Moscow, Russia (Video)

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President Obama's Speech at Moscow's New Economic School (Video and Transcript)

MSNBC Video

Transcript

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Obama, Medvedev announces deal to cut nuclear weapons (Video)

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The Obama Family in Moscow, Russia (Pictures)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R), his wife Svetlana (2nd R), U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and first lady Michelle Obama pose for a picture at the presidential residence Gorki outside Moscow.










Obama Family in Russia, Day Two

Obama Girls in J. Crew

To Russia With Love from East Wing Rules

Michelle Obama tours Kremlin with daughters

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President Medvedev and President Obama's Press Conference in Moscow, Russia (Video and Transcript)

Transcript

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President Medvedev welcomes President Obama to Moscow, Russia (Video)

Obama opens summit with Medvedev in Moscow

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Obama Family Arrives in Moscow, Russia (Video)

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Kremlin, Vatican & Ants Ahead for Obamas

Maureen over at East Wing Rules lays it out for what is ahead in Moscow for the Obamas...

Like their personal shadows, the White House and all its security gear, protocol and communication equipment travels with the first family wherever they go. Onsite secret service along with the one chosen as food taster and an advance team travel with the president and family members. Hotels are secured from above and below and embassies in the destination nations go on high alert. Historically, the president is most often alone on these missions. On momentous occasions and commemorative events, the First Lady and the First Family travels along. Former First Daughters Barbara & Jenna Bush expressed deep regret that they did not travel with the president often until his last year in office.


The Kremlin from the air that the First Family will see when arriving in Moscow and if, the Obama family stays at the Ritz a great view of Moscow's Red Square.

Malia & Sasha Obama are not of an age where they are free to chart their own course or itinerary and the East Wing is putting final prep on their schedules. The littlest Obamas, minus puppy Bo, will be on for another international frenzy as they touchdown with their parents on Air Force One and alight first in the Russian capital of Moscow, on to Italy and the ravages of the earthquake zone and to Africa for a final stop in Ghana. A week that will be historic for the adults as well as the children as they next week as youngsters have not traveled with a president on official business in the 21st century for an extended period. It will be viscerally different after viewing their first fireworks display at the White House on Malia's and the nation's birthday. Even the First Grandma is along for the ride on this official trip. read more here....

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President Obama's schedule in Moscow, Russia - Day One

The First Family leaves tonight for Moscow, Russia.

1:20PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY arrive in Moscow, Russia
Moscow Airport
Open Press

2:00PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a wreath-laying ceremony
Russian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Expanded pool coverage

2:50PM THE PRESIDENT meets privately with President Dmitry Medvedev
The Kremlin
Pool spray at the top

3:25PM THE PRESIDENT and President Medvedev hold working meeting
The Kremlin
Pool spray at the top

6:30PM THE PRESIDENT and President Medvedev hold joint press conference
The Kremlin
Open Press

7:30PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY meet with U.S. embassy personnel
U.S. Embassy
Closed Press

8:35PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY have dinner with President Medvedev and Lady Svetlana Medvedeva
The Gorkiy
Closed Press

h/t DemConWatch

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The Obamas overseas starting next week

yes, with the Obama Girls and Grandma, too.

First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia, along with her mother, Marian Robinson, will join President Obama when he travels to Russia, Italy and Ghana next week. The First Couple will meet with Pope Benedict XVI on July 10 at the Vatican.

The White House announced in May that Mrs. Obama would visit Ghana -- and only recently confirmed that she will be with the president for the entire swing. The president will deliver two major speeches during the trip -- in Moscow, on U.S.-Russia relations, and in Accra, before the Ghanaian parliament.

Not all details about Mrs. Obama's activities on this trip are out yet, but a Wednesday briefing at the White House revealed some of her plans.

This is Mrs. Obama's second overseas trip in less than a month; she, her mom and daughters flew to Paris and London in June, marking Sasha's eighth birthday in London. Malia turns 11 on July 4. The next day, the Obama family flies to Russia aboard Air Force One, landing in Moscow on Monday.

Unlike the Paris and London trip -- basically a vacation for Mrs. Obama, with the exception of a side visit to Normandy to mark the anniversary of D-Day -- this travel is official business. read more here....

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Obama's Deal to Russia

President Obama sent a letter to President Medvedev stating he will back off deploying a new missile defense system if Moscow will stop Iran's development of long range weapons.

Let's see what this dialogue will lead to.

The letter to President Dmitri A. Medvedev was hand-delivered in Moscow by top administration officials three weeks ago. It said the United States would not need to proceed with the interceptor system, which has been vehemently opposed by Russia since it was proposed by the Bush administration, if Iran halted any efforts to build nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles.

The officials who described the contents of the message requested anonymity because it has not been made public. While they said it did not offer a direct quid pro quo, the letter was intended to give Moscow an incentive to join the United States in a common front against Iran. Russia’s military, diplomatic and commercial ties to Tehran give it some influence there, but it has often resisted Washington’s hard line against Iran. read more here

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Russia to Obama, "Holla...."

Russia wants to work with Obama. But remember this:

On Wednesday, when many world leaders hailed President-elect Barack Obama's victory in the polls, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev wasn't quite as effusive. He announced that he might station missiles in the western Russian region of Kaliningrad and point them at a U.S. missile defense system planned for Eastern Europe.

Now Russia is stepping in line, as the rest of the world, to greet but more importantly look forward to working with the United States. This still meets with having eyes behind your head. I don't expect Obama to have an international laughing meltdown as Bush on Putin:

I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country.

Negotiating for the common good is one thing, but no leader with the reputation that Putin has should be trusted, nor should the "puppet" President Dmitry Medvedev, Putin's lackey.

The truth of the matter is this, the Iraq War took so much energy and time from the Bush Administration, that the rest of the world went unnoticed. In other words, any agreements, trust, diplomacy we had with everyone else just fell flat, this includes Russia.

Lavrov says Russia seeks continuity in relations, noting with a chuckle, however, they should not resemble those that were practiced in recent years, because they were unsatisfactory. Instead, he would like to see a continuity of principles that Moscow and Washington agreed upon at a high level.

It is time that we are pro-active in diplomacy talks with all these countries, instead of reactive when something happens. Like the debacle in Georgia, the current strife between Israel and Hamas, problems with North Korea, etc.

It is time to get that jet ready for Secretary of State Clinton, she has a lot of work to do.

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