fairly troubling

Russian President Vladimir Putin's hardline rhetoric against US missile defense plans in Europe is "fairly troubling" and at odds with his private comments to US officials, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. At a summit with EU leaders in Portugal earlier Friday, Putin likened the dispute over missile defense to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis and said Washington was creating "threats" near its borders.

Asked about it after a speech at Texas A and M University, Gates said he was unsure sure what to make of Putin's public remarks. Gates said Putin had reacted positively to US proposals at a meeting in Moscow earlier this month.