Russia's new confidence

Friction and tough rhetoric will continue in US-Russia relations during and after the G8 summit in Heiligendamm this week. Russia, encouraged by its recent successful testing of the RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile, will try to use the new weapon to prevent the United States from stationing the elements of its missile shield in Eastern Europe.

High-ranking Russian officials have already warned that the RS-24 is capable of piercing any existing missile defence, although it is unclear how Russia could use an ICBM to hit targets in a neighbouring region. More likely, the missile, which is an upgraded version of the Cold War-era RS-18 and RS-20, will be used to herald Russia's comeback to the international fold as a great power to be reckoned with.

Incessant complaints from the Yeltsin period over the West's failure to treat Russia as an equal have already been replaced with tough rhetoric under President Vladimir Putin. The G8 summit will see more Russian grandstanding, as Moscow will disagree with Washington on a plethora of issues, from missile defence to independence for Kosovo.