MOSCOW. Nov 6 (Interfax) - The Russian response to the deployment of U.S. missile sites in Europe is not a threat or a negative message to the new American administration; it simply mirrors the intention of the Russian administration to ensure national security, a governmental expert told Interfax on Thursday.

"Measures declared by President Dmitry Medvedev yesterday in response to the U.S. prospective deployment of missile sites in Eastern Europe should not surprise anyone. We warned long ago that we would respond to the plans of Washington," he said.

"It would be erroneous to say that yesterday's declaration of the president was sort of an unkind welcome, a negative message or even a threat to the new administration of the United States," the expert said.

"All these steps derive from the reality encountered by Russia because the United States had made a wrong decision to deploy the third missile defense area in Eastern Europe. Obviously, this is not our choice," he said.

The expert voiced hope that Russia and the United States will reach a bigger understanding in strategic issues, primarily missile defense and strategic offensive armaments, when the new administration led by Barack Obama takes office on January 20.