Talks between Russia and NATO on European missile defense will take two or perhaps three years, a Western military diplomatic source disclosed.

“Preliminary steps, the discussion of cooperation principles and the evaluation of threats can take more than one year, or perhaps two or three years. And only then decisions could be passed on how to manage this system,” the source said.

The Russians are very practically-minded and accustomed to the say-what-needs-to-be-done-and-we-will-do-it approach, the source said.

Sitting down at the negotiating table and going meticulously through every detail is new culture for Russia, he added.

Missile defense talks between Russia and the United States are very helpful to NATO, the source said.

Commenting on statements by senior Russian and American officials that a missile defense deal could be wrapped up within a year or even before the end of this year, the source noted that politicians always keep the end of their term in mind.