Russia has firmly reiterated Moscow's opposition to U.S. plans to place a missile defence base on Polish soil.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Polish counterpart Radek Sikorski and Prime Minister Donald Tusk in the Polish capital Warsaw on Thursday.
Lavrov said the installation was not seen as a threat from Poland, but rather as a threat to Russia's security, as a result of what he said was the American strategic system drawing closer to Russia's borders.
"During the talks we gave again frankly the reasons for our position on why we believe that except for Russia's strategic arsenal there is no room for other such installations in Eastern Europe. "
Sikorski said the visit by Lavrov shows that both Russia and Poland have the political will that problems be solved through dialogue and diplomatic means. He said Poland is ready to discuss with Russia ways to establish mutual trust following the American missile defence base plan came up.
The meeting came less than a month after Warsaw and Washington signed a deal to place 10 interceptor missiles in northern Poland by 2012, just 180 kilometres from Russia's westernmost fringe.
The United States and Poland said the installation was meant to protect Europe and the United States from future attacks from Iran. However, it has drawn the wrath of Moscow.