President Clinton on Saturday congratulated new Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Duma's approval of the Start II treaty.
Clinton, on a trip to California, spoke to Putin by telephone from Air Force One before leaving Bakersfield. The call, made at about noon, lasted 10 minutes, aides said."The president noted Mr. Putin's personal involvement on this and said, 'This is an important step forward toward the reduction of nuclear arms,' " said White House spokesman Jake Siewert.
He said Clinton told Putin he hoped to have further discussions soon on "their shared agenda" on economic reform, further nuclear arms reduction and other security matters.
Clinton is expected to go to Moscow in June.
Putin, meanwhile, was leaving for his first foreign trip since winning election in March.
He was stopping Sunday in Belarus before heading to Britain.
Putin was to drop in on the Ukraine Monday on his way back from Britain.
Putin said the choice of London as his first Western trip was a return gesture for Prime Minister Tony Blair's trip to St. Petersburg, Putin's home city, in March.