Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed Sunday adding ruble transactions to the international system of payments.

Russian President Vladimir Putin used an address at an international economic forum in St. Petersburg yesterday to call for a revolution in world economic relations. Putin said current institutions created by the West were "archaic, undemocratic, and inflexible."

An informal summit of presidents from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is taking place in St. Petersburg. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already held bilateral talks in St. Petersburg with a number of CIS leaders, including the Tajik, Georgian, and Uzbek presidents.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says U.S. missile-defense interceptors could be located in Turkey, Iraq, or on sea platforms. Putin made his comments at a press conference at the close of a Group of Eight summit in Heiligendamm, Germany.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered the United States to deploy a joint antimissile radar base in Azerbaijan. The surprise proposal, made on the sidelines of the Group of Eight (G8) summit in Germany, could bring some warmth to the chill in ties over Washington's plans to build a missile-defense shield in Central Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to use a Soviet-built radar base in Azerbaijan as part of a U.S. plan for a missile defense system in Europe. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, the Russian leader had previously characterized the U.S. plan as the start of a new arms race.

Russia's second city of St. Petersburg is set to host a round of summits and an opposition demonstration this weekend. Thousands of international investors are due to descend on St. Petersburg for an economic forum in which President Vladimir Putin will try to soothe fears about Russia's political and economic direction.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is threatening to aim missiles at new targets in Europe if America goes through with plans for a missile defense program. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, U.S. President George Bush says there would be no military response to Russia retargeting missiles because the countries are not at war.

Only after President Vladimir Putin leaves his office the Parliament could look into extending the presidential term, Russian news agencies reported.

Prime Minister Tony Blair expects to have frank conversations with Vladimir Putin about his country's relations with Europe and the U.S.

U.S. President George Bush is questioning Russian President Vladimir Putin's commitment to democracy. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports Mr. Bush spoke in the Czech Republic at the start of a six-nation tour of Europe.

President Vladimir Putin, nine months away from the end of his second and final four-year term in office, believes the Russian presidency should serve a longer period, he said in an interview released Monday.