MOSCOW, May 16. /From RIA Novosti's correspondent Alexander Chebanu/ -- Mikhail Gorbachev, the first president of the USSR, gives a backing to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Gorbachev Fund press service reports that Gorbachev has revealed his vision of Russia's present and future before students and professors of the Johans Guttenberg University in Mainz in Germany. On invitation from the University, Gorbachev this week delivered a lecture, Russia and Europe on the Road to a New World Order.
Gorbachev said that as the Russian president "Putin has done much more positive things than expected". He has reached "a greater stability in the country and is steering the right course", said Gorbachev.
"I was a president and know it is a tough job. I give a positive assessment of Putin's activities. As an individual and the president of the Fund I try to back him as much as I can", said the former president of the USSR.
Gorbachev also believes that Russia should seek for new ways of cooperation with the European Union and, by way of example, suggested associated membership in the EU.
As regards relations between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Gorbachev said "we should be realists: NATO exists and acts". "It makes sense with the involvement of NATO countries to expand security cooperation and give Russia the right to participate not only in the discussion of a certain range of questions of general security of the countries of NATO and Russia but also participate in decision-making", said Gorbachev. Russia "should also have the right of veto on a certain range of questions", he is sure.