Putin says U.S. missile shield is a 'great danger'
Russia views the U.S. missile shield in Eastern Europe as a "great danger" and Moscow will be forced to respond by enhancing its missile strike capability, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"We will perfect our missile strike capability, to preserve balance, only because of that," Putin told leaders of international media organizations at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
He said the chaos in the Middle East is a result of Western support for colored revolutions and the so-called Arab Spring.
Russia seeks to consolidate trust among all components of the Syrian society by holding a political dialogue, the Russian president added.
He added that crisis settlement in Syria requires drafting a new constitution and holding new presidential and parliamentary elections, calling on Washington to bring pressure to bear on the Syrian opposition to move forward in the political settlement.
Putin warned that Syria's breakup, if it happens, will contribute to destabilizing the entire region and the world, stressing that Russia's main goal is for Syria to remain a unified country.
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