Summary of summit meetings between Russian and US presidents Vladimir Putin and George Bush

Vladimir Putin and George Bush discussed a number of bilateral and international issues, including the issues of strategic stability (the issue of national missile defense included). They agreed that the defense ministers of both countries would continue the discussion of this topic. The Presidents stressed that the state of economic ties did not correspond to the possibilities of Russia and the USA and agreed that a large delegation of US business people would visit Moscow. The Presidents also discussed regional problems. George Bush invited Vladimir Putin to visit Washington in autumn and received a return invitation to visit Moscow.

July 22nd, 2001 - the second meeting held between the Russian and US Presidents in Genoa (Italy) within the G-8 summit. Vladimir Putin and George Bush held narrow-format talks to focus on "strategic stability for a long-term prospect taking into account all the positive potential accumulated in the previous years." The parties also discussed the issues of bilateral relations, in particular, economic cooperation. Following the results of the meeting, the Presidents adopted a joint statement saying that the parties would begin "intensive consultations on the inter-related issues of offensive and defensive systems." They also adopted a statement on establishing "a Russia-US business dialogue." October 21st, 2001 - the third meeting held in Shanghai (China) within the framework of the APEC summit. The leaders of Russia and the USA agreed to make radical cuts of their offensive nuclear arsenals. George Bush stated again that the ABM Treaty was outdated and that it was necessary to see whether it could be abrogated. Vladimir Putin pointed out that Moscow considered the treaty as "an important element of stability in the world," saying that "there was progress" in the discussion of the issue of anti-missile defense with George Bush. The parties adopted a joint statement on the struggle against terrorism. The leaders of both countries discussed the possibility of creating a government in Afghanistan that would prevent the spread of terrorism from the territory of that country. The parties also paid much attention to economic issues.

November 13th-15th, 2001 - the first official visit by President Vladimir Putin to the USA. In the course of the visit, Putin and Bush adopted "a plan of joint action" in addition to the six earlier signed accords. This document included the issue of the struggle against global security challenges, the issues of political, military, political and economic interaction, and also specific issues of bilateral relations.