Update: Obama denies offering Russia missile shield deal

“The report that was in The New York Times didn’t accurately characterize the letter,” Obama said after meeting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for talks at the White House.

“What I said in the letter is what I have said publicly, which is that the missile defence that we have talked about deploying is directed towards, not Russia, but Iran,” he said.

“And what I said … was that, obviously, to the extent that we are lessening Iran’s commitment to nuclear weapons, then that reduces the pressure for, or the need for a missile defence system.”