PM, Medvedev bond over latest gadget

The President of Russia carries an iPad, and pretty nifty he is at using it - as John Key found out during the Apec leaders' dinner on Saturday night.

New Zealand's Prime Minister was seated next to Dmitry Medvedev and spotted the iPad, so Mr Medvedev pulled up the Kremlin's website.

Up came a photo of Mr Key and Mr Medvedev shaking hands just hours earlier after the pair announced New Zealand and Russia would start negotiating a free trade agreement.

"Kremlin.ru/news - I'll be checking it out when I get home - it's a very good site," Mr Key joked.

The President has invited Mr Key to see Moscow at first hand.

Russia may be included in a European trip the New Zealand leader is planning for early next year.

The Prime Minister also had "quite a chat" with United States President Barack Obama at a kabuki theatre performance. Topics they discussed included the Trans Pacific Partnership free trade talks.