Bush, EU Leaders Press on Climate Issues

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and President Bush, talk in the market place in the north German town of Stralsund, in this July 13, 2006, file photo, as Bush stopped there to talk with his newest European ally before heading to the Group of Eight summit. Merkel arrives in Washington Sunday, April 29, 2007, and will meet with Bush Monday at the White House in an effort to bridge differences on major issues like global trade and climate change. (AP Photo/Peter Kneffel, Pool, File) (Peter Kneffel - AP)

The issue came up at the urging of Merkel, who suggested Bush should better explain his plans to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Bush administration is planning to install a radar system and interceptors in Eastern Europe as part of its broader missile defense system. Last week, Putin repeated opposition to the U.S. plan and threatened to pull out of a key post-Cold War treaty that set limits on the deployment of military forces in Europe as a result.

"Our intention of course is to have a defense system that prevents rogue regimes from holding western Europe and/or America hostage," Bush said. "Evidently, the Russians see it differently."

Bush said he personally asked Putin to give Defense Secretary Robert Gates an audience on a recent trip to Moscow so that Gates could discuss the plan more fully.

"We have started a dialogue, as a result of Secretary Gates' visit, that hopefully will make explicit our intentions, and hopefully will present an opportunity to share with the Russians so that they don't see us as an antagonist force, but see us as a friendly force," Bush said.

The missile defense issue overshadowed the meeting, the primary goal of which was U.S.-European unity.

The three leaders praised a new agreement they reached to integrate their economies in such areas as trade, investment and innovation.

"It is a recognition that the closer the United States and E.U. become, the better off our people become," Bush said. "And so this is a substantial agreement and I appreciate it."

Bush and his European colleagues also pushed for the completion of stalled international trade talks, known as the Doha Round.