The summit discussed current international political issues and Russia’s cooperation with European countries as part of broad-ranging dialogue in the political, trade, economic, and humanitarian spheres.
Major energy projects, energy cooperation issues and Europe’s energy security were also on the agenda. Normal life and activity in Europe are simply unimaginable without reaching agreement on these issues, Mr Medvedev said at the news conference following the summit.
The President noted the good progress made of late on big energy projects, in particular the Nord Stream project to build a pipeline via the Baltic Sea, which has already obtained the go-ahead from Denmark, Sweden and Finland, and also the South Stream project.
On the subject of Russian-EU relations following the Lisbon Treaty’s entry into force, Mr Medvedev said he was confident that relations would not change in any significant way and stressed that Russia and the European Union are friendly and inevitable partners. The President said that Russia not only seeks to develop the best possible relations with the EU but will also work on strengthening ties with individual European countries.
During the summit, Mr Medvedev, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt presided over the signing of a number of agreements on cooperation between border regions: Kolarctic, Karelia, Southeast Finland-Russia, Latvia-Estonia-Russia, and Lithuania-Poland-Russia.
Mr Medvedev and the EU leaders held a joint news conference following the summit.
The President also met the same day with members of the EU-Russia Industrialists’ Round Table.