Russia has said it may target its missiles at Ukraine if its neighbour joins Nato and accepts the CzechRep to contribute half a billion to new NATO headquarters ...
Iranian arrest over Putin 'plot' ...
Russia, Iran 'agree nuclear deal' ...
Russia opts out of arms pact ... deployment of the US missile defence shield.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made the comments alongside Ukraine's President, Viktor Yushchenko.
After urgent talks in Moscow, the two leaders reached a deal to avoid disrupting gas supplies to Ukraine.
Mr Putin has condemned US plans to include Poland and the Czech Republic in its missile defence shield.
In a televised speech last week, he warned that a "new phase in the arms race is unfolding in the world".
'Scary'
Speaking at a news conference at the Kremlin on Tuesday, Mr Putin said he advised Ukraine not to join Nato, but admitted he would be unable to interfere in any such move.
"Joining such a bloc means a country restricting its own sovereignty," he warned.
When asked about the consequences of Ukraine gaining Nato membership, Mr Putin said Russia was concerned that its neighbour would agree to host parts of the US missile defence shield on its territory.
"I am not only terrified to utter this, it is scary even to think that Russia, in response to a possible deployment of... [parts of the] missile shield in Ukraine... would have to target its offensive rocket systems at Ukraine," he said.
"The goal [of the missile shield] is to neutralise our nuclear capabilities... This would prompt Russia to take retaliatory action," he added.
Earlier, Russia's foreign minister said Mr Putin had accepted an invitation to attend the Nato summit in April in the Romanian capital, Bucharest.
Mr Putin will no longer be Russian president in April. Elections for his successor will be held next month.
"This yet again testifies to the fact that Russia is open to dialogue on any issues," Sergei Lavrov said during a visit to Switzerland.
(BBC)
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