Bush Says Close Relations With Russia Meet American National Interests

US President George Bush has said good relations have been established between him and Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to a RIA Novosti correspondent, Bush said this on Monday, meeting a group of Russian journalists in the Roosevelt Hall on the eve of Putin's official visit to the USA. Bush mentioned that when he had been asked after his first meeting with the Russian president whether he trusted him, he replied "yes" without hesitating. "A certain level of trust is needed in order to develop new and solid relations," Bush stressed. "Our countries' interests do not always coincide, but this does not mean we cannot have trustful and friendly relations," the US President said, emphasizing that relations of this type are consistent with the interests of both Russians and Americans. "It is our national interest to have close relations with Russia," Bush said, noting that Moscow and Washington had currently a "historical opportunity to make these relations so unique and solid within the coming months and years, that they will not only help maintain peace in the short-term prospect, but also outlive our presidentships." The US President said the new Russian-American relations would provide more stability in the future. He underscored that the visit by Putin to the USA was "another step" in enhancing "the new relations" with Russia.