Russia's Vladimir Putin, on his first foreign visit since becoming premier, was due in Paris Thursday to tackle problems of EU-Russian relations as France readies to chair the EU presidency, reported dpa.
Putin was meeting with his French counterpart Francois Fillon and Interior Minister Michele Allio-Marie. But in a rare tribute for a visiting prime minister that underscores his good relations with President Nicholas Sarkozy, former president Putin was also to dine at the Elysee Palace Thursday evening.
Russian observers were scrutinizing the visit for clues as to what foreign policy influence Putin may retain in his new role.
"Vladimir Putin will address problems of a presidential scale in Paris," business newspaper Kommersant said Thursday.
Dmitry Medvedev, who succeeded Putin to the Kremlin in May, officially holds the foreign policy reins, but many suspect he will defer to his powerful mentor.
Alexei Venediktov of Echo Moscow radio told the French daily Le Monde, "Putin wants to maintain his privileged relations with the leaders of the G8. He has also telephoned (US) President George W Bush and will meet with him during the Olympic Games in Beijing."
In contrast to Putin's first presidential trip abroad to Britain eight years ago, Medvedev headed to Central Asia and China last week - a choice seen by some in Europe as a rebuff.
But Putin in France will look to smooth his country's increasingly difficult ties with Europe, coming on the heels of the EU foreign ministers' long-delayed agreement on a mandate for a new partnership and cooperation accord with Russia.
Authorities in Moscow still fear that the partnership talks with the EU will drag on and will not reach a conclusion this year.
Kommersant cited government officials as saying, "The conclusion of a new agreement with the EU appears to have become the key reason for talks" between Putin and Sarkozy.
France taking the EU presidency on July is another important reason for Putin's visit to Paris, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The EU mandate reached on Monday opens uneasy negotiations towards an agreement likely to be less favourable to Moscow than the loose pact which expired last November, as EU leaders look to coordinate their energy policy and may push through a bill limiting access for Russian companies to EU markets.
This provides an impetus for Putin to push a strong economic agenda in Paris talks, and above all energy issues such as French company Total's participation in exploring Russian gas fields as well as joint projects in nuclear power, aircraft and automotive manufacturing.
Notably, according to Le Monde, Putin will be accompanied to Paris by the head of the Russian nuclear engery agency Rosatom, Sergei Kiryenko, as well as the head of the state-owned bank VTB, which owns a minority share of aerospace giant EADS, and the chief of Renault partner Avtovaz.
Local media cited government officials as saying Putin's talks with Sarkozy would cover a broad range foreign policy issues including US plans for a missile defence system in Europe, which Moscow sees as a threat.
Putin would also be expected to urge France's opposition to NATO membership for the post-Soviet states of Georgia and Ukraine, an official told Interfax news agency.
As such, the agenda is similar to that expected when Medvedev travels to Germany in June.
The Kremlin leader will also host the launch of new EU-Russia talks next month at a summit in the Siberian city of Khanty-Mansiisk, for which Putin's visit to Paris may lay the groundwork.