MOSCOW — Working to turn Russia from antagonist to ally, President Obama asked the Russian people Tuesday to “forge a lasting partnership” with the United States, but he acknowledged after talks with Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin that on divisive issues, there won’t be “a meeting of the minds anytime soon.”

Obama was wrapping up a two-day stay in Russia, during which he and President Dmitry A. Medvedev said they were determined by year’s end to negotiate a new nuclear arms treaty that would slash both country’s arsenals by about one-third.

After breakfast at Putin’s country home, Obama sped back to central Moscow to tell the graduating class of the prestigious New Economic School that the United States and Russia were not “destined to be antagonists.”

“It is difficult to forge a lasting partnership between former adversaries,” Obama said. “But I believe on the fundamental issues that will shape this century, Americans and Russians share common interests that form a basis for cooperation.”

Before leaving for Russia, Obama had said that Putin had “one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new.” After breakfast with the Russian leader, he told Fox News: “I found him to be tough, smart, shrewd , very unsentimental, very pragmatic. And on areas where we disagree, like Georgia, I don’t anticipate a meeting of the minds anytime soon.”

Putin, the former Russian president, also spoke of his country’s hopes for improved U. S. ties with Obama in the White House. “With you, we link all our hopes for the furtherance of relations between our two countries,” he said, sitting next to Obama.

The White House had been hoping to reach a broader Russian audience with Obama’s speech, but the address was not widely available on television.

Obama used his speech to further define his view of the United States’ place in the world and to argue that it shares compelling interests with Russia. “Let me be clear: America wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia,” he declared.

He said Russian and U. S. interests largely overlap in halting the spread of nuclear weapons, confronting violent extremists, ensuring economic prosperity, advancing people’s rights and fostering cooperation without jeopardizing sovereignty.

But he also sprinkled in challenges to Russia, particularly in the area of democracy.

“By no means is America perfect,” Obama said.

But he added: “Independent media have exposed corruption at all levels of business and government. Competitive elections allow us to change course. . . . If our democracy did not advance those rights, I, as a person of African ancestry, wouldn’t be able to address you as an American citizen, much less a president.”

Obama said the United States will not try to impose any kind of governing system on another country. But he argued for democratic values “because they are moral, and also because they work.”

On Georgia and Ukraine — two nations that have sought NATO membership to the chagrin of neighboring Russia — Obama defended the steps nations must take to join the alliance, adding, “NATO seeks collaboration with Russia, not confrontation.”

Today, Obama heads to the G-8 summit in Italy. He also will meet with the pope.