Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has wished the Russian people a Happy New Year in a Channel One interview.
“Russia and the EU face similar economic challenges, which is yet another argument for our further integration. Today we discussed coordinating our efforts, as well as the possibility of drafting long term development plans for specific sectors…”
“It is indicative that bilateral trade continues to grow even despite the global economic and financial crisis. This year we will surpass the $1.5 billion mark.”
The creation of the common economic space (CES) will eliminate many protectionist barriers, fostering the creation of a favourable competitive environment. We will need to draw up unified standards for state purchases and for subsidising certain economic branches of our countries.
"It can be said with a fair degree of certainty that the peak of the crisis is past, although turbulence in the world economy and, as a consequence, in the Russian economy is still there. It will take time, effort and considerable resources to get out of the crisis. On the whole, however, positive trends are making themselves felt and are clearly manifested."
“These talks have once again confirmed the high level of mutual understanding and trust recently achieved by our two countries. These relations serve as a model for many countries in Central and Eastern Europe.”
“First of all, we have been able to review all the issues on which our two countries cooperate. Secondly, we were able to make a lot of progress today on the work our two countries have been involved in together. This includes concluding an intergovernmental agreement on Slovenia’s participation in the South Stream project.”
“Energy cooperation, in particular, the future of the South Stream project, was a major topic of our talks. Up until now, Russia and Austria have been reliable and long-standing energy partners.”
"Human history has known many barrier and division lines and structures. One of the most famous is the Great Wall of China. I think that it is the only man-made structure visible from space. But why is it still standing after hundreds of years? Because it protected a nation, while the Berlin Wall divided one. That, of course, was its unnatural aspect. It was clear to me that in the modern world, it is impossible to confine a nation and have it remain confined."
"We are grateful to the Danish Government for giving permission for the construction of the Nord Stream gas transmission system through Danish territorial waters and part of the Danish exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea. We greatly appreciate this prompt and sound decision on the part of our colleagues. It is an example of a measured, politically unbiased approach towards energy issues and energy cooperation in Europe."
“We agree with our Belarusian colleagues that new steps are needed to expand the scope of our cooperation and support both trade between our two countries and joint projects that could stimulate the entirety of our countries’ economies.”
"We are going to expand our possibilities, first of all in the economic field. And in general, the modern world is characterised by a sharp competitive struggle, which has long passed from a military to an economic sphere."
"We are not going to play by some special rules of our own. We want everyone to follow the same rules that are also referred to as international law."