Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has proposed to NATO leaders a joint missile defense system that divides military protection of Europe between the former Cold War rivals.
Russian newspapers quote officials as saying the plan entails equally dividing anti-missile defense responsibilities and territories between Russia and NATO.
Mr. Medvedev said Saturday that a so-called “sectoral” missile defense system would be the most acceptable option for Russia.
Russian NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin said on his Twitter page that such an arrangement would likely prevent any future confrontation and promote cooperation between NATO and Russia.
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said details of the proposed cooperation will be worked out ahead of a meeting of Russian and NATO defense ministers in June 2011.
The reports follow the just-concluded NATO summit in Portugal.
NATO invited Russia to take part in a U.S.-European missile defense shield that NATO agreed on Friday will now cover all member nations, including the United States.
Mr. Medvedev was in attendance at the NATO annual summit for the first time since relations with the Western military alliance soured following the Russia-Georgia war in 2008.
