After meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Putin was asked if he could imagine a Russia without nuclear weapons.

"Of course," he answered. "What do we need nuclear weapons for?"

Steinmeier is visiting leaders in Moscow and has been encouraging the Kremlin to take part in a global disarmament initiative proposed by US President Barack Obama.

Putin's answer did have one caveat, however.

"If those who invented the atomic bomb, and used it, are prepared to do away with atom bombs, then we would welcome this," he said, suggesting his country's involvement is dependent on US disarmament.

The Russian news agency Interfax, however, has reported that Russia wants to keep at least 1,500 nuclear warheads.

A "unique historic opportunity"

Steinmeier is wrapping up a two-day visit to Moscow, during which he also met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Putin's comments support Steinmeier's view that Medvedev and Russia are ready for disarmament.

"I have the impression," Steinmeier said, "that Medvedev is just as ambitious about this issue as his American counterpart."

Earlier in the day, in an address to the Russian Academy of Science, Steinmeier said that all nations should make constructive efforts to disarm.

"This has to be the year when international disarmament efforts move back to the top of the agenda," he said.

Steinmeier stressed that the talks between Russia and the US on replacing the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty were "a vital step on the difficult path towards a world free of nuclear weapons."

"The outstretched hand from Washington should be accepted," he added, calling the warming of relations between the Kremlin and the US a "unique historic opportunity."

Obama to visit Moscow

US President Obama is scheduled to travel to Moscow early next month for key talks on a follow-up to START, which expires on December 5.

US and Russian negotiators have been holding preliminary meetings ahead of those talks. Moscow has said it wants to link the nuclear talks to US plans, which it strongly opposes, to deploy an anti-missile shield in central Europe.

The START treaty was signed in 1991, just before the break-up of the Soviet Union.

Steinmeier also touched upon last year's military conflict between Russia and Georgia. He urged Moscow to adopt a "constructive" role and warned Russia not to fall back into old patterns of thought.

The German foreign minister stressed that unresolved territorial disputes did not have a place in the Europe of the 21st century.

Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war last year after Georgia attempted to retake control of its breakaway, pro-Russian region of South Ossetia.

Steinmeier, who arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, was also to hold talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

hf/dpa/AFP
Editor: Chuck Penfold