Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen asked Russia today to give the Western military alliance more help in Afghanistan but failed to get an immediate pledge of assistance from the Kremlin.
On his first visit to Moscow since taking office on August 1st, the Nato chief told senior officials that the bitter rows of recent years should not blind Russia to a common security threat from Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.
Russia views Cold War adversary Nato with deep suspicion and ties have been severely strained by last year's war between Moscow and Georgia and by US-backed plans to invite more former Soviet states to join the alliance.
Mr Rasmussen, who is trying to secure more support for the fight against the Taliban after US president Barack Obama said he would deploy 30,000 more troops, said Russia could up its efforts by contributing more helicopters.
"I have invited Russia to strengthen Russia's terms of cooperation in Afghanistan," the former Danish prime minister said after meeting president Dmitry Medvedev in the Kremlin.
"I suggested a helicopter package. I think Russia could contribute in a very concrete way by providing helicopters, helicopter training and spare parts," he said.
Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Mr Medvedev would consider the request, but gave no indication that Moscow was willing to increase cooperation.
Mr Rasmussen told former Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, who is now a powerful prime minister, that Afghanistan should become the centrepiece of Nato cooperation with Russia.
Mr Putin said simply at the start of the meeting that cooperation with Nato could yield good results.
Reuters