Sarkozy set for 'frank discussion' with Putin

French president Nicolas Sarkozy said today he will have a “frank discussion” with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week about the Russian president’s warning that his country could aim missiles at Europe.

In an interview with foreign reporters before this week’s G8 summit in Germany, Mr Putin said a US plan to base a radar system in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in neighbouring Poland as part of an anti-missile shield could prompt a Russian response – which could include training Russian weapons on Europe.

The conservative and often blunt Mr Sarkozy, who took office last month, will hold his first one-on-one talks as president with Mr Putin at the G8 summit, which starts on Wednesday.

“I will listen attentively to him. He called for a frank dialogue. From my side, it will be frank,” Mr Sarkozy said.

Mr Sarkozy has promised to confront Mr Putin about human rights violations in Chechnya and about the slaying last October of Anna Politkovskaya, a journalist who wrote scathingly of the Russian president.

France’s foreign ministry said a dialogue was necessary to allay Russian fears.

“Considering President Putin’s comments, profound discussion appeared necessary to dissipate the worries,” foreign ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said. “The American project, as it was presented to us, does not appear to have an impact on the equilibrium between Russia and the United States.”