Last week's entry of seven ex-communist states into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is likely to dominate talks during Scheffer's visit on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Russia is deeply suspicious of the biggest expansion in NATO's history to encompass Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

On Friday Putin said relations were "developing positively" between Moscow and NATO.

"But the encroachment of NATO military infrastructure to our borders is being carefully studied by our specialists," he said after talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

"And we will build our military position from these conclusions."

During his two-day stay, Scheffer is also due to meet Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, as well as members of the Russian parliament, NATO said in a statement.

In his meeting with Ivanov, Scheffer will sign an agreement establishing a Russian liaison office at NATO's military headquarters at Mons, Belgium.

WAR.WIRE