White House not disappointed by Putin no-show

US: The White House insisted Thursday it was not disappointed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will skip the G8 summit and talks with President Barack Obama next week.

The Russian leader, returned as president after a four year break Monday, and was expected to have a first chance to meet on a president-to-president level with Obama at the Camp David summit in Maryland.

But Putin said in a phone call with Obama Wednesday that he would not be able to attend as he was tied up with picking his cabinet and would send ex-president and current Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev instead.

"No we are not disappointed," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters aboard Obama's presidential aircraft.

"It is something we understood and understand," he said, noting that Putin and Obama had already agreed to meet "in not much time at all" at the G20 summit in Mexico in June. AFP