From Reuters:  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Washington Thursday of imposing its plans to deploy a missile defence shield on European countries, a day after he threatened to retaliate if the United States pressed ahead with the project. . . .

"The construction of the European missile defence shield has been largely imposed (on Europe) by the United States," he told regional reporters at a briefing in the northern town of Petrozavodsk, some 920 km (570 miles) north of Moscow.

He quoted unnamed European leaders who, he said, had complained to him that they had a minor role in the project.

"My partners…have hinted to me from time to time: "It is the Americans who decided that, they are promoting it, and our role as NATO member states is to provide territory," he said.

Medvedev’s attempt to divide Washington and its NATO partners could irk European countries, especially Poland and Romania, former Soviet bloc states that had agreed, along with Spain, to house parts of the missile shield.  (photo: AP)

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