Russia’s Commander-in-Chief President Medvedev praised the move of Obama’s administration to cancel the plans for installing missile defenses in Poland and the Czech Republic. Dmitriy Medvedev noted that the decision of the U.S. President was by all measures “courageous.”

 Declining to comment whether the shift in policy was necessarily “pro-Russian,” Mr. Medvedev nevertheless emphasized that Russia in fact contributed significantly to help the American side make this choice.

President Medvedev’s philosophy is that world leaders are oftentimes in situations that require making decisions calling for courage. Obama’s scraping the missile shield project in Central Europe, the Russian President believes, is a clear display of courage.

Ordinarily, it is not easy for a new president to make a quick reversal with respect to the programs put in place by an outgoing administration in the area of foreign policy.

The Russian head of state said that he empathizes with Barack Obama, as he was also forced to make difficult foreign policy decisions. “This alone deserves respect,” Mr. Medvedev said.

Dmitriy Medvedev also noted that even though the future plans of the United States with regards to the missile defense systems have not yet been announced in detail, the relationship between Russia and the U.S. will develop more constructively. 

According to the Russian President, the decision to revise the missile defense plans was primarily motivated by the national interests of the United States. “It is not a pro-Russian, pro-Chinese, or pro-European decision,” the President said. “It is an American decision,” the Russian head of state noted.

Medvedev applauded Obama’s considerate approach to foreign policy, and said that he was delighted to recognize that Russia and the United States are willing to listen to one another.