A recent report reveals that U.S. President Barrack Obama may be partaking in back channel diplomacy with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev regarding Iran and the plans for a missile defense system in Eastern Europe.
In a clandestine letter hand-delivered to Moscow by top officials last month, it appears that Obama expressed a willingness to abandon plans on the Eastern Europe missile shield that was proposed under the Bush administration, much to the chagrin of Russia’s governing elite.
In return, the U.S. demands that Russia uses its significant political and commercial influence in Tehran to help bring about an end to Iran’s development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
While there has not been a response yet issued from the Kremlin, a willingness to compromise may lead to a positive step in American-Russian relations. Presidents Obama and Medvedev will meet face to face for the first time on April 2nd at the Group of 20 meeting in London.