President Barack Obama is preaching the gospel of democracy to students in Russia.
In a speech Tuesday at the New Economic School, Obama told students in Moscow that governments that serve their own people “survive and thrive.” And the president said independent media and competitive elections are crucial parts of democracy.
The U.S. has been watching carefully as Russia’s control on dissent and the press has stiffened in recent years. The country is considered one of the most dangerous places for investigative journalists to work.
In his speech, Obama also stressed that America does not want to impose any system of government on another country.
