Russia holds fast in objection to missile shield

Russian officials say they could react to the deployment of a NATO missile defense shield with fresh military investment of their own. This comes ahead of talks between the two sides in Moscow.

There was no sign of compromise on Thursday in a row between Russia and NATO over the Western military alliance's plan to build a missile defense shield in Poland.

Just hours before senior officials from the two sides were to meet at a missile defense conference in Moscow, Russia's defense minister, Angatoly Serdyukov said the two sides had reached an impasse.

"We have not been able to find mutually acceptable solutions at this point and the situation is practically at a dead end," Serdyukov told a televised news conference.

The US and its European allies say the missile shield is needed to defend against possible attacks from countries like Iran, which the West fears is seeking to produce nuclear weapons.

Moscow objects to the deployment of the NATO missile shield on Polish soil, despite receiving repeated assurances that it is not directed against Russia.