So President Medvedev went to Hollywood/Silicon Valleyland of dreams be photographed with Arnie, a man who is presiding over the greatest bankrupt state and the 8th largest economy in the world, to receive the first copy of the first generation of Apple phone and promote his political fortunes! Based on his past remark of glowing admiration of Coke and Big Mac American fast food culture to his current wonderment with all blink technologies, it is not hard to impress the current Russian President!

I actually admire Medvedev, I think he is a great part of the Russian board of Directors. I have empathy for what he has to go through, to try to improve Russia. He says openly how hard being a president is, which really puts in perspective what Putin achieved. Putin took a far worse position and made it through terms and produced great results. But they both have to follow a similar road. Putin had to bide his time, keeping a lid on things, bending but not breaking to the west. Whilst all the time, feeding his little bear into the adult that brought equality and self esteem - Russia was back! The west never forgives Putin for that, but us Russians, hold him as the hero for that! Now Medvedev has to deal with the west. The equality is there, thanks to Putin, so now there is a chance for real mutual developmet, yes there is a lack of trust, but trust never comes with money or in an instant. So Medvedev has to build relationships with the world. The west is part of that world, so Medvedev needs deal with it, there are good things there and bad also. Medvedev has to smile, be polite, have a vision a plan, and take what is good and reject what is bad. The west is not the only game in town, the world is mutipolar. But it still is a big game, one that Russia has no need or reason to be dishonest in. The world's people are sick and tired of divison, of fighting, people want security, stability and prosperity. If people are looking for an anti-America, do not look for it in Russia, for you will be disapointed. Yes Russia will always oppose adverse governments, but it does not and should not refelct that in its dealings with persons be they real or corporate. Medvedev is in the US, let him enjoy it, there is plenty to enjoy, let him meet the people. He does it in full knowledge that others in the US are acing against him and Russia. But without making the first steps, there can never be the second or third step to follow. Medvedev is not naive, but he is human!

Count Cash Whilst I do admire RT for publishing harsh criticism of Russia’s current leadership. However, RT is guilt of not allowing critical comments of Russia’s political leadership in its interviews and invited guest features. Now, I do not have any problem of you admiring President Medvedev, he came across as good person and his heart is in the right place, it seems. It is clear he wanted to help his country but Russians are not "technophobic" and I find its truly silly that RT seems to suggests that when in fact the Russians have a history of coming up with some of the most amazing technological innovations. Mr. Medvedev is love popular, money making cheap technology that does not tell us much about his leadership. Today, Putin is still a factor and greatest mistake for Russia is to remove Putin from a position of Power. I do read critically and I do not have strong feeling that Russia would have where it todayt if Medvedev came to powere when instead Putin came to Power. I am not Russia and have no say on how Russia decides its next leader. But I feel the country needs strong, tough minded leader and Medvedev is not it.

This President had difficulty because of what the prior did to help his territory with a personality cult. I see it was necessary for the time, but it made it difficult for others to respect the new person in office, especially since President Medvedev isn't as appealing to shallow culture. And sure, he had fun in the valley, but he should note the cost of our culture and the price we will pay for it. Leave us in the trees until you need us.

PR101, There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, that only Putin could have saved us from the abyss. Also I would agree that we need Putin at the 'top'. But I think you have to see the Russian model as a little different to the 'single' leader in the west. Medvedev, Putin, Lavrov.... are all there acting as a full managment team now. It doesn't really matter how you arrange the balls in the triangle, the effect is the same, and that is great for us. Because it is stable and has a common continuity of purpose. Indeed the worst thing that could happen to Russia, is what happened in Ukraine, a populist colour revolution, promising everything, and just delivering dollars to the pockets of the organisers, with the people stuffed. So actually coming back to topic. The Putin, Medvedev model is shear briliance and maps exactly onto the way startups and distressed companies operate. In these you have a strong, focused individual, to get you going rapidly and without deviation to your target. It can be ruthless at times, but gets you where you want to go. It is highly operational mode - Putin is the guy you want in the chair on this one. However, once you have the company up, and want to build growth, sustainability and breadth. You need a different person, one who is more open to breadth, more a structural developer and maintainer. But imagine, if you have such dedicated and loyal people, that you can have a working team that can pull on both. Then you have the leadership that is the best in the world. Medvedev doesn't come without Putin, or Putin without Medvedev, its as simple as that. We don't need fashion shows here! Now onto to gadgets, well eveyone loves them, look at our kids in Russia, they crave them all. Now notice Medvedev met with Jobs (Apple) - coincidence? nothing cheap there, the Margin on apple blows other companies out of the water. Look at their revenues based on volumes - simply fantastic!! We are not stupid, we know the targets, we now the models.

Count Cash: I like your reasoning. Very well said as for how Russia should deal with west and US. I would add: Russia will not be an enemy, but a partner that is predictable and open, and still a partner that takes care very much of its own interests (after all, isn't it just what Medvedev has said).

Again, Putin-the-hero and Medvedev-the-weak-one... This annoys me. Let me to be stright. The Putin's task was relatively easy. Because, the problems of that time were well understood and actions for recovery were quite obvious. The only thing which was missing -- the guy who would take responsibilities to execute that plan. So, Putin inherited the state controlled by mafia and oligarchs raping the country. What needs to be done -- so suppress the criminals and stop the flood of all Russian wealth moving to the West. Do you need big brain for that? No. Now, having enormous amount of money, thanks to over-soring oil prices, and several supporting him baddies from used to be very powerful Soviet organization and politicians (including Eltsyn himself), it was not so difficult to assemble necessary forces and create order in the country. Yes, Putin is remarkable man, which Russia, actually, full of. But, I assure you (I could bet on anything) that Putin would not proceed to further success beyond that point which he approached. Because, what was necessary for the country to move forward -- totally different realm -- the construction. If Putin would proceed his way, he would undoubtedly fail (not necessarily, during his presidency). I would compare this situation with Clinton, who was very successful president, who brought the US to its highest point in the history, but, this is during his administration all diseases were collected and put the country in the "hospital bed" later, when he "passed the inheritance" to Bush. What I admire in Putin, though, that he was smart and he cared about his country. He recognized that the political and economical course needed the change and he brought Medvedev, who represented the new generation of Russian politicians, with new visions and new methods.

So, this is the ending of my previous post... The basic argument of pro-Putin guys, that Russia needs strong leader. But, I tell you, that strong leaders are not necessarily solving the problems. Very often they just mask them and, that way, they just create the time bombs. Those, who advocate strong leader in their country basically do the following: a) They recognize (consciously or not) that the country's political system is broken, because it cannot operate without strong personality (the king); b) They want the responsibility for the country being taken by somebody else (presumably, by that strong leader) and they would be just watchers and wash their hands out of problems; c) They what simplistic model of the country organization, where there is one opinion, one role model, one everything. The organization where they don't have to think -- somebody else will do it for them. The thing, though, -- if you want to live in the country where there is place for everyone with his/her own personality, where you could achieve something which majority not necessarily approves, then what you really need -- the weak leader and weak government which will "allow" you to do so.

I totally agree with PR101. Medvedev does seem like a nice and kind person, but as a head of state, he doesn't look very serious. Medvedev seems more "ideological" than pragmatic. Sure, " freedom is better than non-freedom" and "innovation is necessary", but it's seems like he says things you cannot disagree with but that have no substance. He could have added " the sun rises east" and " the water boils at 100C". When it comes to action, Putin is the one that's effective and the one getting the work done. While Medvedev tries his new Iphone, tweets and eats cheeseburgers, Putin seems to have to do his job,the president's job and sometimes even the ministers' job. So yes, Medvedev is nice but Putin is more respectable (as a friend of mine said, Medvedev looks like a teenager and Putin is a man;). And I tend to really dislike Medvedev's easy impressionability. Sarah I disagree that he constructed a personality cult for himself. People are rightfully grateful for him for what he did and trust him, but it's not a cult. And if the current president was effective and caring for his people, than he'd achieve the same. Putin was a total unknown to Russians. I remember in 1999-2000 when I was reading articles about how uncharismatic Putin is. Ten years later, i can't imagine anyone calling him "uncharismatic" whether you agree with him or not.

Medvedev is the right person at this stage of Russia's development and he should run for President again. Putin + Medvedev + others = truly a dream team! They shouldn't change a thing in Russian leadership. While Putin may be a better person to talk to China and developing countries, Medvedev is the best person to talk to the West, he has the right personality for that and these talks are extremely important at this stage. So, I wish him and the entire Russian leadership best of luck! Visiting Silicon Valley is a brilliant move, by the way. That'll bring good results investment and technology wise. Very, very wise move! I am a little surprised too by Medvedev's apparent admiration of McDonalds and Coke, but I hope that's because he wants to be magnanimous and make his hosts feel good. After all, these are global brands associated with American culture, even if they taste awful (but he won't tell them that.)

Natalia It is clear that some segment in the Russia’s middle class, bought into the stupid idea that the best way to deal with the west is less frankness and more feel good over hamburger and Cok! This is folly of the first order. In fact, the West loves Putin as much as it hates him. He is deep and thoughtful, analytical and quick. That is why he is such a newsmaker in the West. He is the most influential leaders of his time, East or West. That is why the greatest mistake for Russia now is to an attempt to box Putin as “the tough guy” who is best sent when going gets touch! Putin is smooth urbane and can be subtle when he has to be. But Putin does not take BS from any body. Russia needs self respect before anybody is willing to respect it. Putin works hard to bring self respect to his country. I think we underestimate the impression that can make in the minds of young people.

Bogdanov, Whilst I do not think Russia needs Putin's excellent piloting skills right now, he has got us on departure, got the carriage up and the flaps retracted and got us climbing well. I am not sure I really 100% agree with your A to C reasoning, not because it is fundamentaly wrong, but because it is probably incomplete and is more than open to interpretation, but then again that is the 'fun' of politics. let me explain a bit more: >> Those, who advocate strong leader in their country basically do the following: a) They recognize (consciously or not) that the country's political system is broken, because it cannot operate without strong personality (the king); ----- Is this really true, maybe they think they have a great system and just want it maintained, maybe they fully understand entropy and think, if you do not constantly put in effort and keep a strong grip, it will all decend in the end into chaos. b) They want the responsibility for the country being taken by somebody else (presumably, by that strong leader) and they would be just watchers and wash their hands out of problems; ---- or maybe they want to give that responsibility to someone whose views they agree with, and know that person will stick to those views, not change with the weather. c) They what simplistic model of the country organization, where there is one opinion, one role model, one everything. The organization where they don't have to think -- somebody else will do it for them. ---- Well many designs like KISS,Keep It Simple Stupid, especially when they can have huge effects on peoples lives. If people are happy going along, why can't they trust the system goes on and is stable, under their chosen leader, not having to worry that tomorrow, everything will change, and that everything is volatile. Maybe they don't like banking their money one day, and burning it in the street the next.

I am sure one of Medvedev's parents is American. He is slowly selling Russia to USA, I really surprised why he is so interested to go to USA to eat burger with Obama. Poor Russian people, they do not know what is going to happen to them in future. So many countries were respecting Russia as big brother but Russia now is selling its friendhip with old friends because of America, such as, Cuba, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, many other countries and now Iran.

Reftz Make no mistake.These countries and those in the former Soviet Space may now see the need to make new bilateral deals with the U.S. Now, the U.S will not need the military to achieve full spectrum dominance over Russia and central Asia. The Russians are making what from the outset appears pragmatic but they will soon realise their double dealing on Iran will come to haunt them. To be honest though, the Russian are still the best barrier to U.S global imperial dominance; only the Russians are undermining their own global position with certain unnecessary media representations. In fact if you do look at the current G8 communiqué from Toronto, Canada, Russia made sure there were no legally binding language condemning Iran and even North Korea. However, it is also plainly clear that the Russians made dubious comprise with the U.S on the tragic crisis in Palestine and are silent in nuclear Israel. Despite all of these, the Russian deliberately seeks to underplay their its own role in processes of creating a new multi-polar world order. If I know any thing about geopolitics, I can confidently say that Russia’s honeymoon with the U.S will not last. There are too many pressing issues in the world where the U.S is on the wrong side and the Russian cannot comprise these issues.

PR101, What would you suggest then? I mean if you were the Russian President? Considering the current state of Russian military, technologies, economics, and hostile Western neighborhood... I am just curious.

Bogdanov I am not suggesting that Russia should not move closer to the U.S. Rather, I am suggesting that Russia should have used processes of step by step cooperation with the U.S based on concrete results. Let us take the epidemic issue of drug flow from Afghanistan to Russia. This is key security threat to Russia. I’ve watched the recent illegal drug trafficking conference in Moscow. The U.S and subservient organs, the UN and the EU, have scuttled most robust proposals from the Russian delegates on how to best tackle illegal drug trafficking flowing from NATO/US occupied Afghanistan to Russia, EU and central Asia. It is was excruciatingly painful to watch the U.S delegations insistence on “drug rehabilitation” and “social rehabilitation” in the case of Afghanistan drug problem. Read this against “the U.S war on illegal drugs” in Latin America. Can you explain to me why the Russian President cannot push this point more forcefully if the U.S really is honest about its so-called ‘reset’ with Russia? The bottom line is the U.S ruling elite still want to establish global dominance. Obama new security architect reaffirms this. Now, the primary objective for Russia should have been and still is to consolidate its own sphere of influence in the world and most of all in the former Soviet space.

PR101, Thank you. The process of step-by-step cooperation would be considered as the proper one, if we would have rational and stable environment for this. Meaning that all countries and their leader are sane and have good intentions. This is not the case, though. And Russia is still weak. And this is why big political games should be considered as well. Think about it, -- the American neocons are already assembling their forces to retake the power. For Russia it is better environment when Obama is in charge. It gives Russia so desperately needed time for reforms (primarily, military). But, Obama is in troubles and his days may be already counted. So, Russians need to provide help to Obama as soon as possible and as massive as possible. And, I believe, this is what Medevdev does.