Russia had a short answer March 18 for U.S. President George W. Bush's top national security advisers who came to ask for detente in the simmering argument over a planned U.S. missile shield at Russia's doorstep. Nyet. Or maybe, "Not yet."

The United States and Russia got no closer to settling their public differences over U.S. plans that Russia sees as a potential threat.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he will take a closer look at U.S. proposals meant to allay Russian fears, but added that the best way to end the disagreement would be to scrap the plan for placing missile interceptors in Poland and a tracking radar in the Czech Republic.

"We've leaned very far forward in this in an effort to provide reassurance," but the United States plans to go ahead, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said following two days of talks with President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials.