U.S. President Barack Obama says the United States and Russia share
many common interests, including reversing the spread of nuclear
weapons and defeating violent extremists.
Mr. Obama told students at Moscow's New Economic School the issue of
nuclear proliferation is the "core of the nuclear challenge in the 21st
century."
The president reaffirmed his goal of resetting relations with Moscow and stressed that the U.S. wants a "strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia." He said both nations should oppose efforts by Iran and North Korea to acquire and expand their ability to build nuclear weapons.
He stressed the importance of the agreement he signed Monday with his Russian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev on guidelines for a new bilateral pact that would sharply reduce the number of nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles in the U.S. and Russian arsenals.
Mr. Obama said a proposed U.S. missile defense system for Europe, which Russia bitterly opposes, is directed at preventing a potential attack from Iran. He said if the Iranian threat is eliminated, there would be no need for the missile defense system.
Other common goals outlined by the president in his speech included global prosperity, democracy and the need for nations to work through strong international institutions. He said America is devoted to democracy, because governments that "serve their own people survive and thrive," and are far less likely to descend into failed states.
The U.S. president is winding up the final day of the Moscow summit meeting with Russian and U.S. business leaders as well as Russian opposition activists.
Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Obama held a long breakfast meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at his home outside Moscow.
The Russian prime minister said his country was hoping for better relations with the United States under the new U.S. president. Mr. Obama praised Mr. Putin's extraordinary work as both president and prime minister, and said their talks presented an "excellent opportunity" to put bilateral relations on a much stronger footing.
Last week, Mr. Obama said Prime Minister Putin's world view remained stuck in the Cold War era. The U.S. leader had also said that Mr. Putin, who picked Mr. Medvedev to succeed him as president, "still has a lot of swayin Russia."
The president reaffirmed his goal of resetting relations with Moscow and stressed that the U.S. wants a "strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia." He said both nations should oppose efforts by Iran and North Korea to acquire and expand their ability to build nuclear weapons.
He stressed the importance of the agreement he signed Monday with his Russian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev on guidelines for a new bilateral pact that would sharply reduce the number of nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles in the U.S. and Russian arsenals.
Mr. Obama said a proposed U.S. missile defense system for Europe, which Russia bitterly opposes, is directed at preventing a potential attack from Iran. He said if the Iranian threat is eliminated, there would be no need for the missile defense system.
Other common goals outlined by the president in his speech included global prosperity, democracy and the need for nations to work through strong international institutions. He said America is devoted to democracy, because governments that "serve their own people survive and thrive," and are far less likely to descend into failed states.
The U.S. president is winding up the final day of the Moscow summit meeting with Russian and U.S. business leaders as well as Russian opposition activists.
Earlier Tuesday, Mr. Obama held a long breakfast meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at his home outside Moscow.
The Russian prime minister said his country was hoping for better relations with the United States under the new U.S. president. Mr. Obama praised Mr. Putin's extraordinary work as both president and prime minister, and said their talks presented an "excellent opportunity" to put bilateral relations on a much stronger footing.
Last week, Mr. Obama said Prime Minister Putin's world view remained stuck in the Cold War era. The U.S. leader had also said that Mr. Putin, who picked Mr. Medvedev to succeed him as president, "still has a lot of swayin Russia."