Putin: Russia and US can reach agreements on key issues

Russia's President Vladimir Putin believes that the power of bureaucracy in the US is very strong.

"I have already spoken to three US Presidents. They come and go, but politics stay the same at all times. Do you know why? Because of the powerful bureaucracy. Changing things is not easy," Putin told daily newspaper Le Figaro in an interview.

He argued that trying to influence the U.S. vote would make no sense for Moscow as a U.S. president can't unilaterally shape policies.

"Take Obama, a forward-thinking man, a liberal, a democrat. Did he not pledge to shut down Guantanamo before his election? But did he do it? No, he did not. And may I ask why not? Did he not want to do it? He wanted to, I am sure he did, but it did not work out. He sincerely wanted to do it, but did not succeed, since it turned out to be very complicated," Putin stressed.

"It is hard to fathom that people have been walking there in chains for decades without trial or investigation," he added.

"Can you imagine France or Russia acting this way? This would have been a disaster. But it is possible in the United States and continues to this day. This refers to the question on democracy, by the way," the President pointed out.

But at the same time Putin said that he is cautiously optimistic about the Russian-US relations."I think that we can and should be able to reach agreements on key issues," he concluded.