After months of escalating tensions between Washington and Moscow over US plans for a missile defence shield in Europe, President Vladimir Putin this week surprised George W. Bush with an offer to co-operate with the US.

While Mr Bush welcomed the offer, it was unclear whether it would satisfy the US. The Pentagon wants to install 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a powerful X-band radar in the Czech Republic to counter future threats from Iran. Arguing that there is no threat from Iran, Moscow accuses the US of building a system against Russia.