Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that he is ready to serve as prime minister under his protege Dmitry Medvedev (more...) [5], who is currently deputy prime minister, after the March 2 presidential elections.

"If the citizens of Russia place their trust in Dmitri Medvedev and choose him to be their new president, I am ready to continue our work together as his prime minister," Putin told delegates of his United Russia party.

Putin also said that he would not try to strengthen the role of the prime minister in relation to the presidency, putting an end to speculation that the wily politician might spring some surprise of the kind.

Putin named Medvedev as his preferred successor (more...) [6] last week and on Monday afternoon United Russia formally nominated him as the party candidate. Though the presidential elections are still more than three months away, the results are something of a foregone conclusion: Putin's anointed candidate is almost certain to win, given that United Russia won the country's recent parliamentary elections with a two-thirds majority and Putin himself is hugely popular.

Medvedev, currenty a first deputy prime minister as well as chairman of Russian energy giant Gazprom and longtime associate of Putin's, has pledged to bring Russia back to a leading role in world affairs -- but only with the help of Putin. Kremlin-watchers say the 42-year-old candidate is considered a relative liberal compared to some of his colleagues in government.

agc/ap