Russia in the Process of Reasserting Itself
TIMESONLINE: There is a nasty smell of Weimar in Russia nowadays. All the talk is of Russia’s need to reassert itself and show the world it is still a great power. On the streets, skinheads and racists beat up foreigners and attack dark-skinned Caucasians. Gays are attacked, liberals jeered and opposition protests forcibly disbanded. At home there is growing intolerance of anything except the government line, while abroad President Putin picks quarrels with his neighbours and threatens his erstwhile Western allies.

Is Putin leading Russia into fascism? That is now the accusation of Western critics. Is it not time, they say, to drop pretences of partnership, stand up to Russian bullying of its neighbourhood, denounce the clampdown on basic freedoms and chuck Russia out of the G8? Those who remember appeasement trumpet the dangers of Western drift. Is Putin the bully leading Russia into fascism? (more) By Michael Binyon

Mark Alexander

«La guerre froide est terminée», dit Bush
LE FIGARO: Le président américain a offert à la Russie de coopérer sur le projet de bouclier antimissiles. Une manière de calmer Moscou, violemment opposée à cette question.

«La guerre froide est terminée» : tel est le «principe général» que George W. Bush a tenu à rappeler mardi au sujet des relations américano-russes. Alors que Vladimir Poutine a ravivé le spectre de la grande confrontation géostratégique en menaçant de pointer de nouveaux missiles sur l'Europe, le président américain s’est voulu rassurant. Bush à Poutine : "La guerre froide est terminée" (more)

Mark Alexander

Russia’s Threat “Unhelpful and Unwelcome”, says NATO
BBC: Russia's threat to aim weapons at Europe if the US sets up a missile defence shield there was "unhelpful and unwelcome", Nato has said.

The US says it wants missile defence in eastern Europe to counter threats from states like Iran and North Korea.

On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Iran was not a threat to the US, hinting that Russia was the target.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said he will have "frank" talks with Mr Putin this week about the threat. Nato condemns Putin missile vow (more)

WATCH BBC VIDEO:
Putin launches missile row

Mark Alexander

Putin Signals He Prefers Combat to Compromise

Photo of Putin courtesy of THE TIMES

THE TELEGRAPH: President Vladimir Putin has sent a chilling message to world leaders on the eve of the G8 summit with a threat to aim Russian nuclear missiles at European cities for the first time since the Cold War.

In comments that seemed calculated to cause consternation and division at Wednesday's meeting in Germany, the Russian leader said that American plans to erect a missile defence shield in eastern Europe had left him with no choice but to retaliate.

"It is obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States is located in Europe we will have to respond," he told reporters from G8 countries in Moscow at the weekend. 



"What kind of steps are we are going to take in response? Of course we are going to acquire new targets in Europe." Putin in nuclear threat against Europe (more) By Adrian Blomfield

TELEGRAPH LEADER:
Kick the Russians out

TIMESONLINE:
Putin raises spectre of nuclear war in Europe

Mark Alexander

Putin Threatens Return to the Cold War
THE GLOBE AND MAIL: In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to target Europe with missiles, including potentially nuclear weapons, in a dramatic escalation of his Cold War-style showdown with the United States.

Mr. Putin, in an interview at his country residence outside Moscow, said he considers U.S. plans to build an eastern European anti-missile site to shoot down Iranian missiles a provocation aimed at Russia.

Asked what he might do to retaliate, he said he would return Russia to the Cold War status where missiles were aimed at European targets. Exclusice: Putin threatens to target Europe with missiles (more) By Doug Saunders

Mark Alexander

Tensions Heightened Between Russia and US
Our partners... are using the present situation to boost the presence of military bases and systems close to our borders - Vladimir Putin

BBC: Russia may stop implementing a key defence treaty because of concerns over US plans for a missile shield in Europe, President Vladimir Putin said.

Mr Putin made the threat during his annual address to parliament - which he said would be his last as president.

He also hit out at an influx of foreign money which he said was being used to meddle in Russia's internal affairs.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dismissed Russian concerns over the missile shield as "ludicrous".

BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says Mr Putin's speech marks a significant raising of diplomatic stakes.

The Russian president suggested that his country should freeze its compliance with the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty - which limits military deployments across the continent - until all Nato countries had ratified it. Russia in defence warning to US (Read on)

Mark Alexander