Vladimir Putin likely to attend NATO summit in Bucharest

Ivanov said that Putin could come to Bucharest even if the summit's agenda will include sensitive subjects for the Kremlin, such as the possible inclusion of former Soviet republics Georgia and Ukraine in action plan for accession to NATO.

Ivanov went on to express his surprise that the two former Soviet republics could accede to NATO, although he indicated that any country is free to make such a decision.

Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Adrian Cioroianu said that during a panel dedicated to Russia at the conference, Ivanov indicated that Moscow will be represented in the NATO summit in Bucharest. By the end of January NATO spokesman James Appathurai announced that the organization had not received a confirmation from Russia about its participation in the NATO Summit in Bucharest.