Medvedev: 'New Arms Race' Looms

A new arms race will erupt if Russia can't agree with the West about a joint European missile defense program, Dmitry Medvedev warned today in his annual address. A NATO summit this month proposed an alliance missile-shield plan and invited Russia to participate. Questions remain about possible joint command of such a system.

"If we don't go into a constructive agreement, a new phase of the arms race will begin," Medvedev told both houses of parliament. "And we will have to make a decision on deploying new means of attack." Medvedev has already endorsed the NATO proposal. Experts from both sides are meeting before the end of the year to consider linking NATO's and Russia's separate systems to provide a shield against incoming missiles from rogue nations, and deliver a report to defense ministers in July. (More Dmitry Medvedev stories.)