Russian President Vladimir Putin has told US President Barack Obama that he will not attend the G8 summit in the US later this month.

Photo: Internet

Mr Putin, who was inaugurated as President this week after an absence of four years, told US officials he was busy finalising his cabinet. He will send the outgoing president, Dmitry Medvedev, who replaces him as prime minister, instead. Analysts said the Kremlin’s announcement shows a vague definition in Russia-US relationship during Putin’s presidency. Putin earlier rejected the US and NATO’s efforts to reset the world order for Western interests, saying that it posed the greatest challenge to Russia’s security.