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Novo Ogaryevo, Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday warned the West against expecting an easier ride under his successor Dmitry Medvedev.
"Dmitry Medvedev will be free to demonstrate his liberal views," Putin said after talks at his Novo Ogaryevo residence outside Moscow with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"But he is no less a Russian nationalist, in the good sense of the word, than I am, and I do not think that with him the partnership will be more simple."
Putin was speaking at a press conference just before Merkel went to a separate meeting with Medvedev, the first between a Western leader and the new president-elect since his controversial election on March 2.
Merkel did not respond until seeing Medvedev.
"President Putin just told me that it won't be easier with you than with him," she said in televised comments. "But I restrained myself and didn't say that I hope that at least relations won't be more complicated."
Medvedev answered with a chuckle that he expected to continue "the frankness and friendship... of your relations with President Putin".
Putin also lashed out at the Western military alliance Nato, accusing it of trying to become a "substitute for the United Nations".
On another sensitive question - the imprisonment of businessman and Kremlin opponent Mikhail Khodorkovsky - Putin would not comment on the likelihood of a pardon.
"Questions of pardoning are in the hands of the head of state," he said.
A Kremlin source said the existing procedure for a presidential pardon requires anyone who wants to be pardoned to first admit their guilt and file a request.
Khodorkovsky says he is innocent.
Merkel came to Russia to take the political temperature ahead of Putin handing over to Medvedev, who has crafted a more liberal image than his ex-KGB mentor.
But Putin says he will become prime minister after he steps down in May, leading analysts to predict that real power may lie with the outgoing president, not his inexperienced replacement.
The German leader said there was no alternative to cooperation between Moscow and EU countries, which have frequently clashed with Putin over democracy in Russia and security concerns.
During their brief talks, Merkel and Putin discussed Kosovo, Russian energy exports to Europe and other major international issues that Merkel said showed the need for cooperation.
"Germany and Russia, Europe and Russia, are interdependent. We must find a way to go forward together. There are many things to do," Merkel said.
However, she also alluded to East-West strains, which have worsened sharply in the last year amid disagreements on human rights in Russia and Moscow's angry opposition to a US plan for a missile defence system in central Europe.
"Since I've been in power we've found a way to discuss together and to raise critical issues in an open and sincere way," she said. "It's always a joy and sometimes a challenge."
Putin described Germany as "the most important partner for us in Europe and in the world".
Earlier this week, Merkel congratulated Medvedev on his landslide victory, while expressing concern about alleged election irregularities.
"The chancellor would like to form an impression of what the Russian political landscape will look like in future," German government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said ahead of Merkel's one-day visit to Russia.
"She is looking forward to learn more about Dmitry Medvedev's stated plans to entrench the rule of law and to modernise the Russian state and economy," he said.
"The chancellor will certainly raise the domestic situation after the election, as well as the election itself, where we have criticised a whole range of aspects."
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