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The Russian head of state met the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, at the Helsinki airport. Vladimir Putin and Tarja Halonen drove together in the same car to Lahti (100 km north of Helsinki). The Presidents used the trip to Lahti to discuss bilateral Russian-Finish relations.

Leaders of the EU’s 25 member countries and the Presidents of Bulgaria and Romania were invited to the informal Russia-EU summit.

Following the official photography session, the summit’s participants were invited to an official lunch on behalf of the Prime Minister of Finland, Matti Vanhanen.

The informal Russia-EU summit took place in the Sibelius hall.

Following the meeting Vladimir Putin gave a joint press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso.