HEILIGENDAMM, Germany, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Wednesday in the northern German city of Rostock to attend the G8 summit of leading industrialized nations.

    The G8 summit is due to open Wednesday evening in the German Baltic resort of Heiligendamm, 25 km north of Rostock, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosting an informal dinner for participants.

    After landing at Rostock-Laage airport, Putin went to Heiligendamm by helicopter.

    Putin has recently threatened to take "retaliatory steps," including looking for new targets for nuclear weapons in Europe, if the United States continues with its plan to build a missile defense system in Eastern Europe.

    U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday that no military response is necessary as the United States does not see Russia as an enemy.

    "Russia is not an enemy," Bush told reporters after arriving in Germany for the summit.

    "There needs to be no military response because we're not at war with Russia. Russia is not a threat. Nor is the missile defense system we're proposing a threat to Russia," he said.

    All leaders of the G8 member nations have arrived in Germany for the three-day summit.

    The G8 club groups the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Canada and Russia.