Ukraine is not considering the deployment of a European missile shield on its territory, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Konstantin Grishchenko said on Thursday.
"We believe that the issue of protection against ballistic missiles equipped with warheads carrying weapons of mass destruction is a very important issue that should be discussed with all parties concerned," said Grishchenko.
OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier added that the issue of placing the European missile shield in Ukraine is premature.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said in June that Ukraine's participation in the project of a European missile shield can be discussed if Kiev receives such a proposal. Yanukovych also said that Russia should be involved in creating European missile shield as much as possible.
Russia and NATO agreed to cooperate on the so-called European missile shield during the NATO-Russia Council summit in Lisbon in November 2010. NATO insists there should be two independent systems that exchange information, while Russia favors a joint system with full-scale interoperability.
