Vladimir Putin on Yahoo! News Photos

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seen during a meeting ...

(AP) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:23:11 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seen during a meeting while visiting a farm in southern Krasnodar region, Russia, Friday, July 3, 2009. Vladimir Putin visits Krasnodar region to discuss grain harvest. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seen during a meeting ...

(AP) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:22:57 GMT

Russian Matryoshka dolls decorated with images of U.S. President ...

(Reuters) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:50:45 GMT

(Reuters) - Russian Matryoshka dolls decorated with images of U.S. President Barack Obama (R), his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev (C) and Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin are seen on display at a market in Moscow July 3, 2009. Obama leaves for Moscow Sunday to take part in talks with Russian officials. REUTERS/Denis Sinyakov

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks in a wheat field ...

(AP) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:47:19 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks in a wheat field while visiting a farm in the southern Krasnodar region, Russia, Friday, July 3, 2009. Vladimir Putin visits the Krasnodar region to discuss the grain harvest. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks in a wheat field ...

(AP) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:46:38 GMT

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks with farmers while ...

(AP) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:45:47 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks with farmers while visiting the southern Krasnodar region, Russia, Friday, July 3, 2009. Vladimir Putin visits Krasnodar region to discuss the grain harvest. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Pool)

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks through the ...

(Reuters) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:45:42 GMT

(Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks through the "Agrocomplex" Farm's wheat field in the southern Krasnodar Region July 3, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Alexei Druzhinin (RUSSIA POLITICS AGRICULTURE)

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks through the ...

(Reuters) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:43:28 GMT

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (2nd R) dines with ...

(Reuters) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:41:10 GMT

(Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (2nd R) dines with workers during his visit to the "Agrocomplex" Farm in the southern Krasnodar Region July 3, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Alexei Druzhinin (RUSSIA AGRICULTURE POLITICS) QUALITY FROM SOURCE

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R), accompanied ...

(Reuters) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:37:54 GMT

(Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R), accompanied by workers, walks through the "Agrocomplex" Farm's wheat field in the southern Krasnodar Region July 3, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Kremlin/Alexei Druzhinin (RUSSIA AGRICULTURE POLITICS) QUALITY FROM SOURCE

Russian Matryoshka dolls decorated with images of (L-R) Russia's ...

(Reuters) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:56:22 GMT

(Reuters) - Russian Matryoshka dolls decorated with images of (L-R) Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev, U.S. President Barack Obama, former U.S. President George W. Bush, Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, former U.S. president Bill Clinton and Russia's first President Boris Yeltsin, are seen on display at a market in Moscow July 3, 2009. Obama leaves for Moscow Sunday to take part in talks with Russian officials. REUTERS/Denis Sinyakov (RUSSIA POLITICS)

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin delivers a speech ...

(Reuters) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:35:14 GMT

(Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at the Japan-Russia business forum in Tokyo May 12, 2009. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao

FILE - In this June 7, 2007 file photo Japanese Premier Shinzo ...

(AP) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:01:04 GMT

(AP) - FILE - In this June 7, 2007 file photo Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe, Canadian Premier Stephen Harper, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. President George Bush, British Premier Tony Blair, Italian President Romano Prodi and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, from left, enjoy a chat in a giant beachchair in front of the Grand Hotel at historic Heiligendamm, Germany, where the leaders of the G8 nations were holding their annual summit in the sea resort from June 6-8, 2007. The hotel on the German Baltic Sea coast that hosted the 2007 Group of Eight summit has been granted loan guarantees by local authorities to help keep it afloat, an official said Wednesday, July 1, 2009. The five-star Grand Hotel in the small resort of Heiligendamm has struggled to pull in guests, even after Chancellor Angela Merkel brought then-President George W. Bush and other world leaders there for the summit two years ago. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze, File)

Communist party supporters carry a red flag during a rally in ...

(AFP/File) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:36:24 GMT

(AFP/File) - Communist party supporters carry a red flag during a rally in central Moscow in 2007. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has astonished the leader of the Russian Communist Party by presenting him with an unexpected birthday gift -- an early Soviet edition of the Communist Manifesto.(AFP/File/Janek Skarzynski)

Serb residents hold a poster of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir ...

(AFP) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:51:06 GMT

(AFP) - Serb residents hold a poster of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during a ceremony marking the 14th century battle at Gazimestan. The ceremony marked the anniversary of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo, where the Serbian army was defeated by the Ottoman Empire.(AFP/Armend Nimani)

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Royal Dutch ...

(Reuters) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:16:33 GMT

(Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Royal Dutch Shell Chief Executive Jeroen van der Veer shake hands at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow June 27, 2009. Putin moved again to ease his government's clasp over the energy sector on Saturday, capping off a week of foreign energy deals with a surprise offer for Royal Dutch Shell, inviting the energy company to help develop the giant Sakhalin-3 and Sakhalin-4 projects off Russia's Pacific coast. Picture taken June 27, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Pool/Alexei Nikolsky (RUSSIA POLITICS ENERGY BUSINESS)

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R), Royal Dutch ...

(Reuters) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:09:33 GMT

(Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R), Royal Dutch Shell Chief Executive Jeroen van der Veer (C) and Shell's incoming Chief Executive Peter Voser meet at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow June 27, 2009. Putin moved again to ease his government's clasp over the energy sector on Saturday, capping off a week of foreign energy deals with a surprise offer for Royal Dutch Shell, inviting the energy company to help develop the giant Sakhalin-3 and Sakhalin-4 projects off Russia's Pacific coast. Picture taken June 27, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Pool/Alexei Nikolsky (RUSSIA POLITICS ENERGY BUSINESS)

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Royal Dutch ...

(Reuters) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:05:10 GMT

(Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Royal Dutch Shell's Chief Executive Jeroen van der Veer meet at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow June 27, 2009. Putin moved again to ease his government's clasp over the energy sector on Saturday, capping off a week of foreign energy deals with a surprise offer for Royal Dutch Shell, inviting the energy company to help develop the giant Sakhalin-3 and Sakhalin-4 projects off Russia's Pacific coast. Picture taken June 27, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Pool/Alexei Nikolsky (RUSSIA POLITICS ENERGY)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, pictured here on June ...

(AFP/POOL/File) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:50:09 GMT

(AFP/POOL/File) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, pictured here on June 4, 2009, on Saturday invited Shell to participate in two new natural gas projects during a meeting with the Anglo-Dutch company's chief executive.(AFP/POOL/File/Alexey Nikolsky)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, and Central Bank ...

(AP) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:53:34 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, and Central Bank Chairman Sergei Ignatyev seen during a meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Saturday, June 27, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, ALexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Royal Dutch Shell's CEO Jeroen van der Veer, left, and incoming ...

(AP) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:52:00 GMT

(AP) - Royal Dutch Shell's CEO Jeroen van der Veer, left, and incoming Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell PLC Peter Voser seen during a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Saturday, June 27, 2009. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Royal Dutch Shell PLS could participate in development of two hydrocarbon fields on the Sakhalin island. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, ALexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seen meeting with Royal ...

(AP) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:51:50 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seen meeting with Royal Dutch Shell's top executives at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Saturday, June 27, 2009. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Royal Dutch Shell PLS could participate in development of two hydrocarbon fields on the Sakhalin island. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, ALexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, Royal Dutch Shell's ...

(AP) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:35:15 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, Royal Dutch Shell's CEO Jeroen van der Veer, center, and incoming Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell PLC Peter Voser, left, seen during a meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Saturday, June 27, 2009. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Royal Dutch Shell PLS could participate in development of two hydrocarbon fields on the Sakhalin island. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, ALexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (seen here in 2007) paid ...

(AFP/File) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:06:17 GMT

(AFP/File) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (seen here in 2007) paid a surprise visit to a Moscow supermarket, instructing startled managers to lower their prices, according to the press. The visit appeared to be the latest in a series of media stunts by Russia's strongman to show the public that the government is in control of a financial crisis that still shows no sign of easing.(AFP/File/Dmitry Astakhov)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, second right, flanked ...

(AP) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:25:30 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, second right, flanked by First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov, right, looks at a dairy products on display at supermarket 'Perekryostok' in Moscow, Wednesday, June 24, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, looks at meat ...

(AP) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:07:23 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, looks at meat on display at a supermarket 'Perekryostok' in Moscow, Wednesday, June 24, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, looks at the price ...

(AP) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:06:11 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, looks at the price of meat on display at supermarket 'Perekryostok' in Moscow, Wednesday, June 24, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, second left, flanked ...

(AP) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:05:10 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, second left, flanked by First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov, center, stands at sausage display at a supermarket 'Perekryostok' in Moscow, Wednesday, June 24, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (2nd L) meets Christophe ...

(Reuters) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:38:28 GMT

(Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (2nd L) meets Christophe de Margerie (2nd R), chief executive officer of French oil company Total, for talks in Moscow June 24, 2009. Total emerged as Russia's favoured energy partner on Wednesday, with Putin inviting the French major to take part in some top gas projects after meeting its chief executive. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Pool/Alexei Nikolsky (RUSSIA POLITICS ENERGY BUSINESS)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seen during a meeting ...

(AP) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:36:40 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seen during a meeting with French Total's Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie in Moscow, Wednesday, June 24, 2009. France's Total SA and Russia's biggest independent gas firm, Novatek, have agreed to jointly develop a major gas field in western Siberia, marking the first major foreign investment in the Russian energy sector this year. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin unveiled the deal after a meeting with the Total and Novatek chief executives. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, second left, and French ...

(AP) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:35:47 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, second left, and French Total's Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie, second right, seen during talks in Moscow, Wednesday, June 24, 2009. France's Total SA and Russia's biggest independent gas firm, Novatek, have agreed to jointly develop a major gas field in western Siberia, marking the first major foreign investment in the Russian energy sector this year. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin unveiled the deal after a meeting with the Total and Novatek chief executives. At left is Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (4th R) and Venezuelan ...

(AFP/RIA) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:47:02 GMT

(AFP/RIA) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (4th R) and Venezuelan Vice-President Ramon Carrizalez (3rd L) look on as officials sign documents outside Moscow in Novo-Ogarevo. Russia and Venezuela signed a deal Tuesday to set up a new bank with starting capital of four billion dollars (2.9 billion euros) to fund joint projects as Moscow ramps up its role in South America.(AFP/RIA/Alexey Druzhinin)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, and Deputy Prime ...

(AP) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:19:39 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, and Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin attend a signing ceremony of documents after meeting with Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizales at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Tuesday, June 23, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, and Venezuelan ...

(AP) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:19:29 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, and Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizales attend a signing ceremony of agreement to establish a joint bank at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Tuesday, June 23, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, and President ...

(AP) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:23:49 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, and President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin, background, meet in Moscow on Monday, June 22, 2009. (AP Photo/ RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, pool)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and President of Moldova ...

(AP) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:12:39 GMT

(AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin, background, meet in Moscow on Monday, June 22, 2009. (AP Photo/ RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Sheikh Mohammad ...

(AP) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:17:16 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, left, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the Tarusa residence in Moscow region on Tuesday, June 23, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with ...

(AP) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:16:51 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the Tarusa residence in Moscow region on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.(AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, second right, speaks ...

(AP) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:28:45 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, second right, speaks with World War II veterans as he lays flowers at a war memorial to mark the Day of Remembrance and Grief in Barnaul, about 3,000 kilometers (1,850 miles) east of Moscow, Siberia, Russia, Monday, June 22, 2009. 68 years ago the Nazi troops invaded the Soviet Union. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, and Industry and ...

(AP) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:36:50 GMT

(AP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, left, and Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko shake hands at their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Thursday, June 18, 2009. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L) meets with head of ...

(AFP/POOL) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:05:09 GMT

(AFP/POOL) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L) meets with head of Russian gas giant Gazprom Alexei Miller (R) outside Moscow in Novo-Ogarevo. Russian energy monopoly Gazprom is seeking 230 million dollars (166 million euros) in payments from the Belarus gas company Beltransgaz, a Gazprom spokesman said Wednesday.(AFP/POOL/Alexey Nikolsky)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Chinese President ...

(Reuters) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:23:41 GMT

(Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Chinese President Hu Jintao (2nd L) meet in the presidential residence Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow, June 17, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Alexei Druzhinin/Pool

Chinese President Hu Jintao speaks to Russian Prime Minister ...

(Reuters) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:20:00 GMT

(Reuters) - Chinese President Hu Jintao speaks to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as they meet in the presidential residence Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow, June 17, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Alexei Druzhinin/Pool (RUSSIA POLITICS)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Chinese President ...

(Reuters) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:18:55 GMT

Chinese President Hu Jintao, second left, listens to Russian ...

(AP) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:59:31 GMT

(AP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao, second left, listens to Russian Premier Vladimir Putin, second right, at Novo Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Wednesday, June 17, 2009. China's Hu Jintao met with Russian leaders in Moscow following a regional summit. At right is Samovar, a traditional Russian tea kettle. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, pool)

Chinese President Hu Jintao, left, listens to Russian Premier ...

(AP) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:57:15 GMT

(AP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao, left, listens to Russian Premier Vladimir Putin at Novo Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Wednesday, June 17, 2009. China's Hu Jintao met with Russian leaders in Moscow following a regional summit. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, pool)

Chinese President Hu Jintao, left, speaks with Russian Premier ...

(AP) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:53:07 GMT

(AP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao, left, speaks with Russian Premier Vladimir Putin, center, at Novo Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Wednesday, June 17, 2009. China's Hu Jintao met with Russian leaders in Moscow following a regional summit. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, pool)

Chinese President Hu Jintao, left, shakes hands with Russian ...

(AP) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:48:51 GMT

(AP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao, left, shakes hands with Russian Premier Vladimir Putin at Novo Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Wednesday, June 17, 2009. China's Hu Jintao met with Russian leaders in Moscow following a regional summit. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, pool)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Chinese President ...

(Reuters) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:15:20 GMT

(Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Chinese President Hu Jintao meet in the presidential residence Novo-Ogaryovo outside Moscow June 17, 2009. REUTERS/RIA Novosti/Alexei Druzhinin/Pool (RUSSIA POLITICS)

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) and Chinese President ...

(Reuters) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:14:15 GMT