Putin and Medvedev: Just Friends

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin wants everyone to know: There are no sparks flying between him and his protégé, President Dmitri Medvedev, just political savvy. The declaration came in response to a question from an Italian reporter, who asked him to explain the secret of the two men’s successful “political marriage.” Mocking the reporter, Putin said: “Mr. Medvedev and I are people of a traditional orientation…But we are friends, friends for many years, I have already said this. And the way that we have arranged our work today—it seems to me, we can be proud of this.” Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was sharing the stage with Putin, said, “I have not done so well with regards to marriage, so I will not begin to give advice.”