Following the inauguration of the new US president, Russia suspended the deployment of missiles in Kaliningrad, Russia’s Western outpost that borders European Union members Poland and Lithuania. Preparations to install the “Iskander” short-range missiles were suspended because the new administration in Washington seems to likewise suspend the controversial missile defense system in Europe.

Moscow used to consider as a safety threat the US plan to install a missile shield in Eastern Europe. Bush was keen on the preparations for these. US President Barack Obama is yet to reverse the Bush plan. A talk between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Obama regarding the improvement of bilateral relations made Medvedev halt the response to the planned US missile shield. Medvedev and Obama spoke on the phone in which they pledged to meet soon to improve bilateral relations.

Speaking after the inauguration of Obama, Vladimir Putin said that he sees clear “positive signs” in the sense that Washington might distance itself from the missile defense project. The conflict over the defense system has, of late, clouded the relations between Russia and the United States. Had the deployment plans pushed through, the stationing of the short-range missiles in the area around Kaliningrad is scheduled in November.

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Via Yahoo! News