WASHINGTON, Feb. 10 (Xinhua)-- The White House rejected on Saturday Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks that the United States "almost uncontained" use of force has led other countries developing weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.

    "We are surprised and disappointed with President Putin's comments," White House national security spokesman Gordon Johndroesaid in a statement.

    Referring to Putin's accusation that the United States "has overstepped its national borders in every way" and is fostering a new global arms race, Johndrowe said. "His accusations are wrong."

    Addressing a high-profile security conference in Munich, Germany on Saturday, Putin condemned the United States for "almost uncontained" use of force.

    "We are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations ... the United States has overstepped its national borders in every way.

    "This is nourishing an arms race with the desire of countries to get nuclear weapons," Putin said.

    While rejecting Putin's accusation, Johndroe also attached importance to U.S.-Russia ties which were forged soon after "Sept.11 terrorists attacks" in 2001.

    "We expect to continue cooperation with Russia in areas important to the international community such as counterterrorism and reducing the spread and threat of weapons of mass destruction."

    Observers have noticed that prior to Putin's criticism of U.S. foreign policy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described on Sunday that the building of a good relations between Moscow and Washington as "not easy."

    "Like any other country, we are interested in having good, smooth, clear relations with the United States," but it is "not easy" to build such ties, Interfax quoted Lavrov as saying in an interview on a state-run cultural television channel.

    The United States is "not an easy partner at all (to deal with)-- probably the most difficult partner," the Russian foreign minister said.