Russia Lays Down Its Conditions For Participation In European Missile Defense

Photo: Rasmussen and Merkel reiterated support for the missile shield . Photo from Deutsche Welle

Russia Wants Equal Role In NATO Missile Shield: Minister -- Times Of India/AFP

BERLIN: Russia is open to talks on NATO's planned European missile shield but wants to play an equal role in its development, Russian defence minister Anatoly Anatoly Serdyukov told the German weekly Der Spiegel.

"The most important thing for us is firstly to define what are the real threats to Europe, and secondly is to see Russia put on an equal footing as a participant," Serdyukov said in an interview to be published in full on Monday.

"It is only thus can an anti-missile defence system be put in place which satisfies everyone."

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My Comment: Russia wants to be first among equals when it comes to European missile defense .... but will the Europeans agree to this arrangement? I know that they are hoping that Russia will come aboard, but I suspect that what Russia wants is just a bit too much for the Europeans to accept.

Expect European missile defense be deployed without Russian participation.