Saint Petersburg: Russian hopes for a WTO accession accord with US to crown its G8 summit were dashed on Saturday as negotiators failed to strike a deal, but US president George W Bush said agreement was near. “We want Russian accession to the WTO and will continue negotiating,” Bush said after bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, ahead of a full Group of Eight summit later in the day. He said a deal, which would end Russia’s 13-year campaign to join the WTO, was “almost reached” but added that “there’s more work to be done.”