From Kim Sengupta, the Independent:  Russia has asked for Britain’s help in resolving the impasse in talks over the proposed European nuclear defence shield with a warning that retaliatory "military steps" will be taken if the US and Nato go ahead with the programme without the Kremlin’s consent.

Moscow’s disquiet over what it considers intransigence by Washington was conveyed by Dmitri Rogozin, the ambassador to Nato, during a visit to London last Friday.

Mr Rogozin will be visiting a number of Alliance member states to stress that ignoring Russia’s position will have ramifications not just for European defence but on a wider field, including co-operation over Iran, Syria and Afghanistan.

The ambassador stressed that the US and, by proxy, Nato, has rejected a number of proposals put forward by Moscow for the missile shield to be built in co-operation, including the request for a legal guarantee that the system’s offensive capabilities, supposedly to counter the threat from "rogue states", would not be used against Russia.  (photo: AP)

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