Russia's Medvedev says he may seek second term

MOSCOW — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says he may run for a second term in the 2012 presidential election.

Medvedev's predecessor and mentor, Vladimir Putin, has previously said they will decide between them who will run. Putin is widely considered to remain the nation's most powerful politician despite moving into the prime minister's seat. Most observers expect him to seek a return to the presidency in 2012.

Medvedev told the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten in an interview posted on the Kremlin Web site Saturday that he "doesn't exclude" seeking re-election in 2012.

He said that he would make a decision on whether to run if the public is satisfied with his work during the first term and if he is confident of his electoral performance.