The United States and Russia will hold next talks in Moscow next week on a planned US missile defence shield in Eastern Europe, Itar-Tass agency reported Thursday quoting a junior Russian foreign minister.

"It is too early to forecast the results of this meeting... Everything depends on the new US administration's assessment of the subject," said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

A Russian foreign ministry source told Interfax news agency the talks will be held on December 15.

"A new round of talks on political and military questions including the misile defence shield and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) will take place on December 15 behind closed doors," said the source.

John Rood, US under secretary of state for arms control and international security, will meet Ryabkov in the Moscow talks.

Moscow has sharply criticised the US plans to put an anti-missile radar in the Czech Republic and interceptor missiles in Poland, despite US assurances that the system is not directed against Russia.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin urged US president-elect Barack Obama last month to drop the planned missile shield.

Obama, who takes office on January 20, has yet to say whether he intends to continue the plan created by the outgoing administration of Republican president George W. Bush.