From the Financial Times:

"The Kremlin is signing up western public relations advisers for the first time to improve the presentation of Russia's presidency of the Group of Eight leading nations. Russia's presidential administration has signed a multi-million dollar contract with Ketchum, a US-based PR firm, to advise on communications with western media during its G8 term, which started on January 1 and lasts for 12 months, as well as the St Petersburg summit in July.

They face a unique PR challenge in trying to win recognition of Russia's G8 work amid growing international suspicion of its record on democracy under Vladimir Putin, president, and of how it plans to use its oil and gas might. Moscow's G8 presidency has been marred by the decision by Gazprom, the state-controlled natural gas giant, to cut off supplies to Ukraine in a pricing dispute on January 1, undermining Russia's decision to make energy security a top G8 theme.

Dmitry Peskov, deputy press attaché to Mr Putin, said "[The Putin Presidency] didn't get off to a good start on the communications front. And this is connected with the misinterpretation [in the west] of what happened with Gazprom and Ukraine. We set out our point of view, but apparently it wasn't that effective. Perhaps if we had already been working then with some kind of communications company things would have been different."

Certainly, from the pulpit of the Church of PR, the contract is being hailed as an absolute coup for Ketchum. On the surface it makes total sense. Ketchum did the World Economic Forum in Davos. And Russia is our friend now. Right?

Well, if it's anything, it's a very complicated situation. In a nutshell, George is virtually paying his kinda buddy Vladimir to gingerly cut the green wire on the detonator of mutual assured destruction. I imagine two men in white anti-dust antiseptic suits in a stark clean room with a lot of measured whispers between them. All smiles and congeniality does not minimize the sense of "one false move." Probably not the place you'd want a swarm of PR Flacks futzing with hair and makeup, primping for the big show.

Here, by way of a little background, the aftermath of September 11 represents the high point of Russian-American relations. The assumption was that there was a real opportunity for a genuine Russian-American partnership. Issues of nonproliferation, counterterrorism, energy security, and economic development were to be the foundation of the newly formed alliance.

But presently, there's a 2 mega-ton elephant in the room. Russia's construction of nuclear reactors in Iran and its role in missile technology transfer are putting tremendous stress on the U.S. relationship presently. Tension is an understatement. This could be where we part company.

According to Stephen Sestanovich, the George F. Kennan Senior Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Counsel for Foreign Relations, "a major test of how close Moscow wants to align its policies with the United States and Europe will be how it handles the delicate nuclear negotiations with Iran. The United States and Europe have backed so far the Russian initiative, but the key question will arise if Iran firmly rejects the Russian offer." And if that happens says Sestanoich, Russia "will either join with the United States and Europe in putting pressure on Iran to change course or part ways." Russian interests just might not lie in being part of a Western group that tries to punish Iran. "We really don't know what Russian policy is going to be," said Sestanoich.

As to Russia's leanings, there've been signs. Putin is trying to reassert a sense of Soviet importance around the world to give Russia a distinct voice in foreign policy. According to Sestanovich, "Russia might decide there are commercial interests, including the prospect of selling nuclear reactors and weapons. And there are political and even geopolitical interests that go beyond commerce."

Is that delicate or what?

Okay, that said, all the people in PR line up. Now look to your left. Now look to your right. Is there any PR person you'd like to see play a role in that process? Do you think it is a good idea for a U.S. firm to help Russia find its "distinct voice" at this point in time? Remember, the downsides are... well... a lot of burnt toast all around. But, I am sure that if any PR person survives, she/he will likely spin the nutritional benefits of carbon in one's diet. So it all works out. Never mind.

US Vice-President Criticizes Russia's Human Rights Record
By Bill Gasperini
Moscow 04 May 2006

Vice President Dick Cheney has accused Russia of restricting the rights of its citizens and using its vast energy resources for political blackmail. At the same time, Cheney praised those leaders as their countries try to emerge from the Soviet era. He made the remarks during a speech at a conference of East European leaders in the Baltic republic of Lithuania.

Cheney speech spurs new Cold War: Russian press
May 5, 6:29 AM (ET)
By Oliver Bullough

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A speech by Vice President Dick Cheney strongly critical of the Kremlin marks the start of a new Cold War that could drive Moscow away from its new-found Western allies, the Russian press said on Friday. In shocked reaction to the harshest U.S. criticism of Moscow for years, commentators said Washington had created an anti-Russian cordon of Western-aligned states stretching from the Baltic almost to the Caspian Sea.

The Kremlin, in a reaction within hours of Cheney's delivery in Vilnius, said the speech, which was full of accusations that Moscow was limiting human rights and using its energy riches to blackmail the world, was "completely incomprehensible."

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declined to comment directly on Friday when asked about Cheney, but said the meeting of former communist satellites that the vice president had addressed appeared to be "united against someone." The Russian press agreed, comparing Cheney's words to a 1946 speech by British statesman Winston Churchill in Fulton, Missouri, when he said Europe was divided by an "Iron Curtain."