LUXEMBOURG, May 24 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's president said Thursday the U.S. should have consulted European nations on whether they needed to be protected with the help of U.S. missile defense elements in Central Europe.
"I think, given the modern tendencies of international relations, that if the Americans wanted, they would have obtained such a request [for protection]. But they should have obtained it first. As it is, it just looks like bad manners," Vladimir Putin told journalists.
The U.S. announced plans in January to deploy interceptor missiles in Poland and a missile defense radar in the Czech Republic as part of its missile shield aimed at countering possible threats from "rogue states" such as Iran and North Korea.
Putin said Russia considers the reasons Washington cites for the deployment of the missile shield to be "far-fetched."
Moscow has repeatedly condemned the Pentagon's plans, saying they could prove a "destabilizing factor" and threaten Russia's national security, and warning that "appropriate measures" would be taken in response.
Polish TV channel TVP1 said Thursday the U.S. will deploy a missile defense base on the Baltic Sea coast in Poland.
