Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a document signing ceremony in Moscow, Nov. 6, 2007. (MIKHAIL METZEL/AFP/Getty Images

Zagreb, Croatia (AP) Both President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin are putting the best face on Washington-Moscow relations at a time of rising tensions.

Putin says a new cold war is not in anyone's interests and urged friendship between NATO and Russia. But he also questioned why the military alliance still exists in the post-soviet union era. He spoke to reporters in Bucharest, Romania, after a NATO summit that included a meeting Friday between Russia and the alliance's 26 leaders.

A senior Bush official says the president welcomed Putin's comments at the meeting and considered them constructive. The official talked to reporters on condition of anonymity as Bush traveled from the NATO summit to an overnight stay in Zagreb, Croatia.