MOSCOW, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Moscow does not need any anti-American rhetoric but will not allow another country to bother Russia with impunity, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
"Russia and the United States are not enemies. We need to look for compromises," Putin said during his first big press conference following his return to the Kremlin.
Russia saw a threat when its western partners deployed the missile defense facilities in Europe, which, in his words, could "destroy the strategic balance in the world."
Russia provoked no one but has been provoked, Putin said, adding that Russia-U.S. ties used to be good but began to spoil due to the nations' divergence over Iraq.
Moscow and Washington have witnessed a "reset" of their relations launched by U.S. President Barack Obama and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in 2009.
However, progress in bilateral ties following the push of the "reset" button was not so obvious, local experts said.
Putin said the term "reset" was not invented by Moscow.
"We don't see the need in it at all," Putin said.
Washington hasn't offered Moscow the long-demanded legal guarantees that the missile shield was not targeting Russia.
Bone-chilling cold, but lots of fun!
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