MOSCOW. April 23 (Interfax-AVN) - President Vladimir Putin received U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Moscow on Monday.
It was Gates' first visit to the Kremlin since he came into office in November 2006.
He received the invitation to visit Moscow at a meeting of Russia-NATO defense ministers in Seville where he held talks with Sergei Ivanov, the then Russian defense minister.
The day after the Seville meeting, Gates and Ivanov spoke at the security conference in Munich where Putin made his landmark speech.
Putin did not have a separate meeting with Gates in Munich but during his speech he directly addressed Gates. He publicly invited the chief of the Pentagon to confirm that Washington would observe its understandings with Moscow in the sphere of reducing strategic nuclear forces.
"Russia is determined to strictly observe all its commitments. We hope that our partners will be transparent too. If the new U.S. defense secretary tells us today that the United States will not be hiding redundant warheads either at storehouses, nor under the pillow or blanket, I suggest standing up and applauding. This would be a very important announcement," Putin said in his speech broadcast live.
Gates responded to the call with a smile and remained seated.