US President Barack Obama has said there is an excellent opportunity to improve relations with Russia during his trip to Moscow.

Following his first ever meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the country's most powerful politician, US officials hailed it as "very successful".

However, the awkwardness between the pair was palpable as they exchanged pleasantries at the start of their talks. Mr Putin mostly looked down and avoided eye contact with the US leader.

The situation was not helped by Mr Obama's criticism last week of Mr Putin - Russia's former President and an ex-KGB spy - as a man with one foot stuck in the past.

Mr Obama stumbled: "I am aware of not only the extraordinary work that you've done on behalf of the Russian people in your previous role as prime minis-, uh, as president, but in your current role as prime minister."

"We link hopes for development of our relationship with your name."

Mr Obama also vowed to take into account Russia's view of its relations with Georgia and Ukraine, according to a senior aide of Mr Putin.

Yuri Ushakov said: "They spoke about Georgia, they spoke about Ukraine and generally about the post-Soviet area. The US President promised to take into account the peculiarities of our (relations) with these countries."

The meeting followed Mr Obama's talks on Monday with President Dmitry Medvedev, who was hand-picked by Mr Putin as his successor.

Mr Medvedev and President Obama agreed on a target for cuts in nuclear arms, a deal to let US troops fly across Russia to fight in Afghanistan and the establishment of a joint governmental commission to improve relations between the two former Cold War superpowers.

The two leaders pledged to finalise a treaty by the year-end to cut the number of deployed nuclear warheads on each side to 1,500-1,675 from levels above 2,200.

Mr Obama also delivered a major speech on democracy, the global economy and US-Russian relations to students at Moscow's New Economic School.

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