White House: US will keep working with Russia in new Putin era

WASHINGTON – White House press secretary Jay Carney says the U.S. will keep working with Russia now that Vladimir Putin has won the presidency because it's in U.S. interests to do so.

Carney says the relationship isn't about personalities. He says that despite concerns over election irregularities, the U.S. will "cooperate and work with Russia where we agree on issues."

Carney says, "That's regardless of who the president is."

Putin has been highly critical of the United States -- much more so than the man he's replacing, President Dmitry Medvedev.

Carney says President Barack Obama has not yet called Putin to congratulate him on the election, but that the two will speak eventually.

International election monitors identified irregularities but said Putin was the clear winner in Sunday's voting.