Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is meeting with U.S. leaders in Washington, just one day after saying U.S. missile-defense plans for Europe remain an irritant in relations between the two nations.

The missile-defense issue could dominate Lavrov's talks with President Barack Obama Wednesday. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is joining the White House meeting and holding her own talks with Lavrov afterward.

Other issues in the White House talks likely will be Russian efforts to mediate in Libya, and Moscow's desires to join the World Trade Organization.

At the State Department, Lavrov and Secretary Clinton are to sign an agreement on child adoptions.

The United States has long said Russia has nothing to fear from plans to build a missile-defense system in Europe. It says the system is aimed at countering a possible attack from Iran or North Korea, and is not aimed at Russia or anyone else.

Mr. Obama scrapped a proposal by former President George W. Bush to concentrate missile defense in Poland and the Czech Republic, near Russia's borders, in favor of what is being called a phased-in approach. It would involve sea and land-based interceptors.

Lavrov is in Washington on a three-day visit. On Monday, he participated in a meeting of the “Quartet” diplomatic group on the Middle East, which includes Russia, the U.S., the United Nations and European Union.