Vladimir Putin’s proposed compromise on missile defence may not have been a serious offer, but it is significant all the same. By suggesting a deal, the Russian president has improved prospects for top-level talks on an issue that has flared out of all proportion, increasing tensions between Russia and the west.

The offer to operate a radar station in Azerbaijan jointly with the US is to a certain extent gesture rather than substance. Over the past week, Mr Putin has performed a classic manoeuvre that put him at the centre of attention at the Group of Eight. Before the summit he raised tensions by threatening to target Europe with nuclear missiles. During the event itself he calmed things down by striking a more conciliatory note.