US President Barack Obama has cancelled plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next month. The move is in response to Russia’s decision to grant temporary asylum to Edward Snowden, who leaked details about National Security Agency surveillance programs.
Jen Psaki, Spokeswoman, US State Department, said, "Major issues were not teed up to make significant progress on the level of a president-to-president summit. That wasn’t a constructive step to take at this point. But there certainly is a recognition that it’s important to maintain regular contact, dialogue, with Russia on the issues where we agree and the issues where we disagree."
The White House cited deep differences over missile defense, arms control, trade, global security and human rights for the decision. But Obama will still attend a G20 summit in St. Petersburg from September the 5th to 6th. The Russian government has expressed its disappointment at the decision.
However, it says it remains ready to cooperate with the United States on bilateral and international issues. The move marks a stark low point in US-Russian relations and raised questions about the "reset" in ties that Obama embarked on in his first term to try to gain more diplomatic cooperation.