Updated on Friday, July 03, 2009, 18:34 IST

Moscow, July 03: Vladimir Putin's spokesman says President Barack Obama was wrong when he suggested the Russian prime minister is still partially mired in Cold War thinking.

Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he's confident Obama's view of Putin will change after they meet during a summit next week.

Obama told The Associated Press today that he thinks Russian President Dmitry Medvedev understands the need to move away from Cold War-style confrontation but that ''Putin has one foot in the old ways of doing business.''

Peskov said on Friday that Obama's impression ''has nothing to do with a true understanding of Putin.''

Peskov suggested Obama lacked an accurate picture of Putin, in part because they have never spoken to each other. He said he is “convinced” that Obama's opinion will change after they meet.

Bureau Report