EU and Russia celebrate their first summit under the Lisbon Treaty
The summit will be hosted by President Dmitri Medvedev, accompanied by Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov. The EU will be represented by Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and José Manuel Durao Barroso, President of the European Commission. High Representative/Vice-President, Catherine Ashton, and Commissioner for Trade, Karel de Gucht will also participate.
25th EU-Russia summit is being held in Rostov-on-Don on 31 May and 1 June. This is the first meeting after the coming into force of Treaty of Lisbon. EU will advocate a broad approach encompassing the rule of law and citizens' rights. The Council also discussed the issue of visas, on which the EU is committed to the shared long-term objective of visa-free travel following a step-by-step approach focusing on substance.
The global economic crisis, climate change and energy issues, the question of Russia's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as well as regional and international issues will also be addressed at the summit.
The EU and Russia sought to overcome differences on security, trade and energy supplies at a summit in the Siberian city of Khabarovsk, near the Chinese border. They also discussed the EU’s new Eastern partnership plan to aid six former Soviet republics.
The two sides are trying to improve ties strained by Russia’s 2008 war with Georgia and its January gas dispute with Ukraine, which left many EU customers without gas in the dead of winter.