Washington's mission to persuade Russia to agree to the deployment of an anti-ballistic missile system met a resounding "no" in Moscow last night.
In what was always likely to be the hardest stop for the envoys sent by President Bush around the world to garner support, Russian diplomats said they were unconvinced after two hours of talks with the US Defence Secretary, Mr Paul Wolfowitz.
"The United States has been unable to give us arguments to convince us that they see clearly how to solve the problem of national security without damaging disarmament agreements which have stood for 30 years," said the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mr Alexander Yakovenko.
Some idea of the importance Russia attached to the visit by Mr Wolfowitz came with news that their foreign minister, Mr Igor Ivanov, saw no reason to delay a scheduled trip to Finland to meet the delegation.
The US team is believed to have argued that the National Missile Defence system is planned to shoot down only small numbers of missiles fired by "rogue states" and will not neutralise the threat of mass attack from Russia.
But Moscow is insisting that such a system will break the terms of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, upsetting the balance of power between Moscow and Washington.
Russia's President, Mr Vladimir Putin, also too busy to meet the delegation, signalled his own opposition this week during the annual Veterans' Day parade in Red Square. "The entire experience of post-war history shows it is impossible to build a safe world for oneself alone and, still less, at the detriment of others," he said.
Not least of the US problems is that they are not sure exactly what they are selling. President Bush earlier this week said missile defence would go ahead, whatever the attitude of Russia, but scientists have yet to design a missile defence system that works.
Last night the US was putting on a brave face, describing the talks as "substantive" and saying more discussions will be held.
"It is a first step in a consultation process which will continue over the weeks ahead," said the US Deputy National Security Adviser, Mr Stephen Hadley.
The US will get another chance next week when Mr Ivanov meets Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell in Washington, and US officials said a first meeting may be arranged between Mr Bush and Mr Putin ahead of their planned talks at an international summit in Italy in July.
This meeting is sorely needed. US-Russia relations are generally agreed to be at a 10-year low. Both sides have recently expelled dozens of diplomats accused of being spies, and the US has accused Russia of selling missile technology to the same "rogue states" that the defence scheme is aimed at.
Mr Wolfowitz is leading one of three teams which have spent the week touring world capitals to talk about the missile defence plan, and has earlier this week visited France, Britain and Germany. Another team under the Deputy Secretary of State was yesterday in India and a third in Turkey.
Meanwhile, Washington added Ukraine and Canada to the list of countries it will consult on the missile defence proposals, the State Department said yesterday. State Department officials will go to Kiev today and another team will visit Ottawa next Tuesday, the spokesman, Mr Richard Boucher, said.