Leaders and commentators in Central and Eastern Europe have underlined the significance of the talks on April 8 2010 in Prague between US president Barack Obama and heads of state and government from countries in the region.
 
On April 8, Obama and Russian president Dmitry Medvedev signed a treaty to cut both countries' inventory of nuclear weapons. 
 
The two leaders met in the Czech capital, where one year ago, Obama spoke about his goal of a nuclear-free world, the Voice of America reported.
 
After a one-on-one meeting, the two presidents signed an accord that reduces their countries' nuclear stockpiles by 25 to 30 per cent, leaving each with about 1500 strategic nuclear weapons.
 
Joseph Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund, a nuclear weapons policy organisation, says that number is a nearly 50-year low. But he says the treaty's most important provision renews verification procedures which had lapsed in December, when the 1991 START I treaty expired.
 
"So what this does is restore the US ability to get intelligence on Russia's weapons, and vice versa," Cirincione said. "And that is what military planners want. They want knowledge, they want predictability, they want stability in that strategic relationship."
 
Frank Gaffney helped shape U.S. nuclear policy during Ronald Reagan's presidency in the 1980s. He says Obama is making a dangerous mistake by voluntarily reducing the size of the US nuclear arsenal.
 
"I cannot imagine that North Korea or Iran, for example, are anything but emboldened by what they see as the abject weakness of this government," Gaffney said.
 
Former British defence secretary Des Browne says the US and Russia have a responsibility to lead the world's non-proliferation efforts.
 
"The United States and Russia, between them, have 95 per cent of the nuclear weapons in the world, and if we are genuinely to make progress on disarmament, then the onus lays on these two countries," Browne said.
 
Obama, in his March 26 announcement, said the agreement shows the depth of the US commitment to leading the effort to rid the world of nuclear arms.
 
"And we've demonstrated the importance of American leadership - and American partnership - on behalf of our own security, and the world's," Obama said.
 
Next week, at a nuclear security conference in Washington, the heads of state of 47 countries are expected to discuss non-proliferation issues. And the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference takes place next month in New York.
 
The Prague Post said that after the signing ceremony with Medvedev, Obama will meet with leaders from across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in an attempt to quell fears that improved US-Russian relations will be detrimental to regional security.
 
Twenty-three CEE political figures sent a letter to Obama in July 2009 urging the US to redouble diplomatic efforts in the region. The letter expressed concern that changed missile-defence plans - which were not finalised at the time but had been long rumored - were tantamount to sacrificing the region in exchange for better ties with Russia.
 
"Twenty years after the end of the Cold War, we see that CEE countries are no longer at the heart of US foreign policy," the letter, which was signed by Václav Havel and Lech Wałęsa, among others, said.
 
Speaking on April 8 to Bulgarian National Television, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov said that the Prague meeting was of great importance.
 
The invitations sent by Obama were personal, sent to Bulgarian Prime Minister Borissov and the presidents and prime ministers of the other countries and the talks would be "absolutely open-hearted," Mladenov said.
 
Of course, there would be a focus on security issues and the challenges being faced, Mladenov said.
 
In Mladenov’s words, the current situation in Kyrgyzstan also would be tabled for discussion, as Afghanistan will be one of the topics at the meeting, Mladenov said, according to Focus.
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The situation in Iran and Iran’s nuclear program will be another topic for discussion, as well as the strategy for Nato’s development, Mladenov said.
 
"The meeting between the US president and the presidents and prime ministers of the countries in Central and East Europe comes right after the signing of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which is of historical importance not only for the US – Russia relations but also for everyone’s security and it shows the clear will of the US allies to strengthen the transatlantic connection with the European partners, especially with those in Central and East Europe," Mladenov said.