Bush calls Russia a 'friend' after Europe trip
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-12 08:58

US President Bush declared on Wednesday "Russia is not an enemy, Russia is our friend," a day after returning from a sometimes tense visit over U.S. calls for democratic reforms in the region of the former Soviet Union.

Bush returned on Tuesday from a trip to Russia, Latvia, Georgia and the Netherlands holding out the Baltic states as an example of democracy for Russia.

"Sitting in Red Square honoring the veterans of World War II was an amazing event. I remember as a kid watching the missiles parade through Red Square -- and here I sat as the president of the United States in Red Square, paying homage to people who died to defeat Nazism," Bush said at the start of a meeting with members of Congress about his Europe trip.

"And I was sitting beside a friend. Russia is not an enemy, Russia is our friend," Bush said.

"And it's important that we work together to achieve peace. Obviously, we have a difference of opinion on certain issues, but we don't have a difference of opinion on working together for peace."

Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin stood side by side watching the pageantry in Red Square on Monday, along with other world leaders who paid tribute to Soviet war losses in defeating the Nazi Germany.

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