Moscow - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday hailed as "entirely positive" his impression of US President Barak Obama ahead of the two leaders' meeting on the sidelines of the upcoming G20 summit in London on April 1-2.

"The signals we are receiving, and that I am personally receiving, from the US president are entirely positive," Medvedev was quoted by news agency Interfax as saying in a meeting with foreign experts from a commission on bilateral relations.

The Cold War foes bitterly clashed in the last years of former US President George W Bush's presidency in a standoff over a host of security issues, including NATO enlargement, US plans for a missile- defence system in Europe and Russia's August invasion of Georgia.

But with the Obama administration taking over in Washington, both sides have softened their stances and expressed hope for better relations.

Medvedev said that US-Russian ties had seriously deteriorated in recent years, "but now there is every possibility to start a new page in relations."

He said the April meeting would focus on non-proliferation, the fight against terrorism and the global financial crisis. (dpa)