Biden was welcomed in Warsaw by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, with whom he is meeting. He is later scheduled to hold talks with President Lech Kaczynski, as well as other officials.

Before the trip, Biden promised Poland that no US action would affect security in the region.

"We have no agreements with Russia at central Europe's expense and we will not sign any such agreements - Nothing about you without you," Biden told a Polish newspaper in an interview after landing in the country.

"We honestly believe that improving the mood between the United States and Russia will contribute to improving security in Europe and will bring benefits to all our allies," he added.

New plans

The main issue confronting Biden and his Eastern European colleagues is that of US missile defense shield plans in the region, following US President Barack Obama's decision to scrap the shield proposed by the Bush administration.

Those plans have worried Poland and the Czech Republic, as they fear the US withdrawal will bring about security issues with Russia, which was angered by Poland's pledge to support the US defense shield plan.

Biden is expected to propose that Poland could host a new missile defense plan, which would consist of SM-3 interceptors that target short and medium-range missiles. The alternative system was introduced by Obama last month.

"The new construction isn't bad," President Kaczynski told Polish public television of the Obama administration's new SM-3 anti-missile system proposals.

Biden is to be in Poland for two days, after which he is scheduled to travel to the Czech Republic and Romania.

glb/AP/Reuters
Editor: Chuck Penfold