Russia’s new boss is not quite the same as the old boss

Russian President-elect Dmitry Medvedev, at 42 probably the youngest leader Russia has had since the days of the czars, looked slightly uncomfortable and uncertain as he sat down for his first formal talks with President Bush on Sunday before a crush of photographers.

But amid a barrage of camera clicks, the diminutive Medvedev grinned broadly when shaking Bush’s hand, a noticeable change from the often unsmiling and imposing Vladimir Putin whom he will succeed next month.

“President Putin and you over these last eight years have done a lot to advance the Russian-U.S. relationship,” Medvedev told Bush, paying respects to the man who will almost certainly become Russia’s next prime minister and will likely still wield enormous power.

“When I officially assume my duties, I would like to do my best to keep up our relationship so there will be constructive engagement between us,” Medvedev said, his voice competing with the noise of the cameras.

Bush took pains to put the next Russian president at ease.

“It seems like there’s a lot of interest in you, Mr. President-Elect,” Bush said, quipping. “You’ve attracted a lot of cameras.”

At this, Medvedev appeared to regain whatever might have been lost of his composure, replying: “It’s not surprising,” he said.

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It’s no longer mutually assured destruction. Now it’s more like the mutual admiration society.

In their joint news conference, Bush and Putin gushed with praise for one another.

Bush defended his positive impression of Putin when he said he got a sense of his soul at their first meeting seven years ago in Slovenia.

“I thought he’d be the kind of person who would tell me what’s on his mind. He’s been very truthful,” Bush said.

Putin was equally complimentary.

“It was always pleasant and interesting to work with the American president. I always valued his high human qualities, his honesty, openness, ability to listen. This is worth a lot,” the Russian leader said.

Bush also had words of praise for Putin’s successor, calling Medvedev a “smart fellow” and a “straightforward fellow who will tell you what’s on his mind.”

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There was no levity from Bush when his efforts to win Moscow’s support for missile defense was questioned.

Bush is a man fond of his pet projects, especially when they are national security issues that he has made priorities.

So he was clearly miffed when a journalist at his final news conference with Putin questioned the value of a new U.S.-Russia strategic framework that does not include agreement on his plans to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in Europe.

“Isn’t this just a matter of kicking the can down the road in the twilight of both of your terms to a new U.S. administration that may or may not even support it?” the reporter asked, suggesting Bush had not done enough to convince Putin to drop his objections.

Bush snapped back, noting that the strategic framework includes a joint pledge to work to overcome missile defense disagreements: “I think I have just explained how far we have come on this issue. We have come a long way. Read the document and read what it says.”

“You can cynically say that it is kicking the can down the road,” Bush said. “I don’t appreciate that, because this is an important part of my belief that it is necessary to protect ourselves.”

“I have reached out to Vladimir Putin,” Bush went on. “I knew this was of concern to him and I have used my relationship with him to try to get something in place that causes Russia to be comfortable with it.

“Is it going to happen immediately? No, it’s not going to happen immediately. But is this a good opportunity to work together? You bet it is.”