Bulgaria, considered “a staunch US ally,” is concerned that much of the country will remain outside the US anti-missile shield to be positioned in Europe, BBC reported.

US president George W. Bush and his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Purvanov discussed the shield positioning, during a visit of the US head of state to Bulgaria on June 11 2007.

Still, talks on Bulgaria’s inclusion in the missile defence programme will leave Russia dissatisfied. The shield had already increased tensions between the US and Russia, BBC said.

Russia considers the shield a threat to its influence in the region. President Vladimir Putin said that Russia might point its missiles towards Europe.

Bush backed Bulgaria on other foreign policy issue important for the country and the fate of the five Bulgarian nurses sentenced to death in Libya. He once again confirmed the US position in support of the nurses.