▁that ▁will ▁protect ▁them . ▁Of ▁course ▁such ▁a ▁policy ▁stim ul ates ▁an ▁arms ▁race ". ▁This ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Mun ich ▁Spe ech , ▁and ▁former ▁NAT O ▁secretary ▁Ja ap ▁de ▁Ho op ▁Sch ef fer ▁called ▁the ▁speech ▁" dis app oint ing ▁and ▁not ▁helpful ." ▁The ▁months ▁following ▁Put in ' s ▁Mun ich ▁Spe ech ▁were ▁marked ▁by ▁t ension ▁and ▁a ▁sur ge ▁in ▁r het or ic ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁Atlantic . ▁Both ▁Russian ▁and ▁American ▁officials , ▁however , ▁denied ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁Cold ▁War . ▁Put in ▁public ly ▁opposed ▁plans ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁miss ile ▁shield ▁in ▁Europe ▁and ▁presented ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁with ▁a ▁counter pro pos al ▁on ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁which ▁was ▁decl ined . ▁Russia ▁susp ended ▁its ▁participation ▁in ▁the ▁Con vent ional ▁Forces ▁in ▁Europe ▁treat y ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Put in ▁opposed ▁Kos ovo ' s ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁declaration ▁of ▁independence , ▁warning ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁that ▁preced ent ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁de ▁fact o ▁dest abil ize ▁the ▁whole ▁system ▁of ▁international ▁relations . ▁ ▁Put in ▁had ▁good ▁relations ▁with ▁former ▁American ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush , ▁and ▁many ▁European ▁leaders . ▁His ▁" co ol er " ▁and ▁" more ▁business - like " ▁relationship ▁with ▁Germany ' s ▁current