MOSCOW, October 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to hold face-to-face talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday on the sidelines of the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) that opens in Milan, Italy.
Putin, who is currently in Serbia to attend a military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of Belgrade's liberation from Nazi occupation, is to fly to Italy later today to join world leaders for a major summit in Milan.
The meeting between the Russian and German leaders, whose economies both suffered from EU sanctions against Russia, was prepared days in advance. Last Sunday, Putin and Merkel held a telephone conversation to agree on the talks that are also expected to touch on the Ukrainian crisis.
According to Putin's top aide Yuri Ushakov, the meeting will take place soon after the Russian president's arrival in Milan, followed by a dinner that will be hosted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and attended by all the leaders and participants of the ASEM summit. After the dinner, a separate meeting between Putin and Napolitano is planned.
The Russian president will be in the spotlight of the two-day ASEM summit where leaders of more than 50 countries will discuss sustainable development and global security. They are also expected to stress the need for a peaceful solution to the months-long bloodshed in Ukraine.
The ASEM summit will be chaired by European Council President Herman van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
