White House says it regrets Russia's absence from nuclear summit meetings

U.S. President Barack Obama pauses while speaking during a meeting with Ebola Response Coordinator Ron Klain (not pictured) with Ebola Response Coordinator Ron Klain (not pictured) and members of his team coordinating the government's Ebola response in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington October 22, 2014. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Tuesday it regretted Russia's decision not to attend preparatory meeting last week for the 2016 nuclear security summit.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest did not say Moscow planned to boycott the bi-annual summit itself, which returns in 2016 to the United States, where the process was launched by President Barack Obama four years ago.