Putin skips G8 summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin, did not attend the G8 summit on May 18-19 2012, cancelling also his meeting with US President Barack Obama. Putin’s first visits abroad will be to Belarus and China.

Putin gave the West a clear signal of Russia’s future foreign policy, which clearly was not directed at the West. Putin?s first trips will be to Belarus, indicating the importance of the CIS region in Putin?s foreign policy and China, to emphasize the recent developments in Chinese-Russian cooperation.

Putin excused his absence at the summit in Camp David, USA, with the need to organize the presidential administration. Russia was represented by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Putin?s absence meant he did not meet with the leaders of G8, eight of the world?s largest economies, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. The decision to shun the meeting surprised the G8 member states, especially the USA.

The nearest meeting of the Russian and US Presidents will take place only in June 2012 at the G20 summit, compromising the world’s 20 largest economies. The decision of the Kremlin to attend the G20 summit and not G8 further emphasizes the new direction of Putin’s foreign policy.