Today, in Moscow’s Red Square, veterans and world leaders gathered to mark the 60th anniversary of the World War II Allies’ victory over the Nazis, and to pay tribute to the 27 million Soviet soldiers and citizens who perished in the war.

Bush had the seat of honor next to Russia’s president Vladimir Putin but appearances can be deceiving. Big smiles and matching red carnations aside, there are mounting strains in the relations between the U.S. and Russia.

On his way to Moscow, Bush publicly denounced the Soviet domination of Eastern Europe after the defeat of the Nazis, cheered democracy movements on Russia’s doorstep, and raised questions about the political drift of Putin’s Russia. Putin has refused to apologize for the Soviet occupations, and bristled at the charge that Russia is sliding back into dictatorship.

Hear a discussion on the new strains in the relationship between the U.S. and Russia and democracy in the former Soviet Union.

Guests:

Kim Murphy, Moscow bureau chief for The Los Angeles Times;Michael McFaul, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and professor of political science at Stanford University. His opinion piece “It’s OK to Scold the Backslider” appeared in Sunday’s Los Angeles Times

William Maynes, president of the Eurasia Foundation