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As he spoke at a session of government commissions in charge of preparing celebrations of Kazan’s millennium in 2005 and the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg in 2003, President Putin said the next EU-Russia summit could be held on May 31, 2003.

Mr Putin said that it was Prime Minister of Luxembourg Jean-Claude Juncker who had suggested at the latest EU-Russia summit that the leaders of European Union nations should go to St Petersburg for the city’s jubilee. The Russian leader said that he had liked the idea and that this would raise the profile of the festivities.

He also said May is traditionally the time for holding the EU-Russia Troika meetings, which involve the President of Russia, the leader of the country currently holding the rotating EU presidency, and the EU Commission President. Next May, however, the leaders of all EU member states should take part, he said.