As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton winds down her latest trip abroad, she turns her attention to Russia. Clinton discussed relations with Moscow at a NATO meeting in Belgium Thursday. She's meeting her Russian counterpart in Geneva on Friday to try to capitalize on an apparent warming in U.S.-Russian relations.
STEVE INSKEEP, host: President Bush famously said he could see into the soul of the man who runs Russia. Not long afterward, U.S. relations with Russia grew worse. But more recently, the two countries appear to have grown closer and today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is meeting her Russian counterpart in Geneva. NPR's Michele Kelemen is traveling with the secretary.</s>MICHELE KELEMEN: The Obama administration has been trading letters and calls with the Kremlin, and a State Department official says the atmosphere is clearly improving. What Clinton hopes to do is to translate the friendlier words into real cooperation on Afghanistan, Iran and missile defense. But she also had to reassure newer members of NATO and would-be members from the former Soviet Union that the Obama administration isn't bending too far.</s>Secretary HILLARY CLINTON (Secretary of State): I reiterated again today in our meetings with Ukraine and Georgia the United States' firm commitment to each of those nations moving toward NATO membership, and our equally strong commitment to work with them, along with NATO, to make clear that they should not be the subject of Russian intimidation or aggression.</s>MICHELE KELEMEN: She said the U.S. will never recognize a Russian sphere of influence, or recognize the breakaway regions in Georgia that Moscow supports. But she also called for realism in dealing with Russia. That's a thought that was echoed by NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who said Russia could do more to help facilitate NATO supply routes into Afghanistan.</s>Secretary General JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER (NATO): Afghanistan is a case in point, where I think NATO and Russia can better work together. The fight against terrorism is another one. The fight against narcotics is another one. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is another one. Russia is an important player. Russia is a global player. And that means that not talking to them is not an option.</s>MICHELE KELEMEN: NATO foreign ministers did agree to revive high-level talks with Russia, which were suspended after Russia invaded Georgia last year. Scheffer says the NATO Russia Council will have a foreign ministers-level meeting soon.</s>MICHELE KELEMEN: As for U.S. overtures to Russia, a State Department official said that the Obama administration will be more proactive on arms control talks. The U.S. also seems to be slowing the pace of work on missile defense, another thorny issue that has strained relations with Moscow in recent years. But Secretary of State Clinton isn't backing off from that issue entirely.</s>Secretary HILLARY CLINTON (Secretary of State): Our discussion about missile defense is aimed at determining its feasibility economically, technologically, and we will continue to explore it with our allies. And we've made the case to Russia time and again that Europe has a right to defend itself from the new threats of the 21st century.</s>MICHELE KELEMEN: She says the threat is emanating from Iran, and she plans to raise concerns with Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about Moscow's discussions with Tehran about selling the Iranians longer-range missiles. The U.S. also wants to see Russia do more to help rein in Iran's nuclear program.</s>MICHELE KELEMEN: While she's been talking tough on Iran, Clinton also announced yesterday that she expects Iran will be invited to a high-level conference on Afghanistan that she proposed for later this month. The Netherlands has been asked to host the meeting, which would include countries that are contributing troops to Afghanistan, neighbors and donors.</s>MICHELE KELEMEN: Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Brussels.