Support The Moscow Times!

New Archival Footage Shows Putin Dancing With George W. Bush

The Kremlin has released archival videos and photos of the president to mark President Vladimir Putin's 20 years in power as both president and prime minister of Russia.

In this published video from 2008, Putin can be seen dancing to a folk song with then-U.S. President George W. Bush.

Bush was visiting Putin in Sochi after the U.S. president had pushed for Georgia and Ukraine to join NATO at the Western military bloc’s 2008 summit.

When the leaders met for the first time in 2001, Bush said that he was able to “get a sense of [Putin’s] soul.”

Putin would later visit Bush at his ranch in Texas and at the Bush family compound in Maine.

Sochi was the last time the two leaders met as presidents, as Putin stepped down and became prime minister a month later.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue