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Putin accuses U.S. of starting new arms race
Story Highlights• Putin: Russia's new missile tests a response to U.S. planned missile shield
• U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Moscow's fears are "ludicrous"
• Russian foreign minister responds: "There is nothing ludicrous about it"
• Tensions come ahead of next week's G8 summit in Germany
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Less than a week before the G8 summit, tensions between the United States and Russia reached a new peak Thursday, with Russian President Vladimir Putin accusing Washington of starting a new arms race over its plans to develop a missile defense shield in Europe.
Putin said Russia's testing of new intercontinental and cruise missiles earlier this week was a direct response to the U.S. plans.
The tests, he said, were "aimed at maintaining the balance of forces in the world."
"Our partners are filling eastern Europe with new weapons," he told reporters in Moscow in a joint news conference with Greek President Carolos Papoulias.
"What are we supposed to do? We cannot just observe all this. In our opinion, it is nothing different from 'diktat,' nothing different from imperialism."
Washington is currently discussing deployment of parts of the system with Poland and the Czech Republic.
The White House denied that a new Cold War is beginning and said the system is designed to defend allies vulnerable to ballistic missiles. White House spokesman Tony Snow said Washington is trying to reassure Russia that the anti-missile system is a defensive -- and not aggressive -- deployment.
In an interview with CNN Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Moscow's fears are "ludicrous" and that the system is not aimed at gaining a strategic advantage over Russia.
"This is against smaller but nonetheless potentially very deadly places like Iran," she said in Berlin.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov retorted: "There is nothing ludicrous about it. The arms race is beginning again." (Watch the intercontinental missile blast off)
In Moscow, Putin also criticized the U.S. withdrawal in 2002 from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which set strict limits on missile defenses.
"We warned them then that we would come out with a response to maintain the strategic balance in the world," he said, adding that Russia will continue to improve its missile capabilities.
The United States' plans for a missile defense system are likely to be discussed at next week's G8 summit in Germany. Other issues currently dividing Russia and the United States are the future of the former Yugoslav territory of Kosovo, and U.S. concerns that democracy and human rights in Russia are being eroded.
There is also disagreement about the implementation of a conventional forces treaty, which limits the deployment of heavy weapons between the Atlantic and the Ural Mountains. Russia has threatened to pull out of the treaty unless it is ratified by NATO countries.
In addition to meeting U.S. President George Bush at the G8 summit, Putin is due to travel to the United States at the beginning of July for a summit with the U.S. president.
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© 2007 Cable News Network.Comment
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