Russia and China vetoed a Western-backed U.N. Security Council resolution to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe. The United States said Moscow had gone back on an agreement days earlier at the G8 summit in Japan to back punitive measures.

"There was indeed a discussion on Zimbabwe at the (G8) summit," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislyak told a news conference.

"During the discussion ideas were put forward that the U.N. Security Council should adopt a resolution on sanctions. The sanctions were not named. There were such ideas. We listened to them and explained why that is not right," Kislyak said.

"This does not mean that we do not have concerns about the situation in Zimbabwe. We have different methods for addressing it," he told reporters.

He rejected a comment by the top U.S. diplomat at the United Nations that Russia's performance on Zimbabwe "raises doubts about its reliability as a G8 partner".

Kislyak said: "Accusations against Russia that it is not a reliable partner are, we believe, not only unfounded but also irresponsible."