Russia and EU Involved in Energy Talks

Vladimir Putin, who will chair the G8 (most industrialized nations) group meeting for the first time this year, is going to be confronted by European Union representatives on Thursday regarding issues of the security system of energy and the Russian democracy status ahead of the major political and economic summit.

The Russian president has put talks about energy security at the top of the discussion agenda for the July meeting in St. Petersburg, in order to increase Russian profile in the international community.

Nevertheless, the success of the G8 July summit depends a lot on talks being carried right now in Sochi between Putin and European officials, warned European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in an interview with Reuters, during his flight to the beautiful summer resort near the Black Sea.

Things do not look too optimistic as Russia experienced quite a few political and economic rows with Ukraine in January on issues related to gas prices. Russia, who owns gas giant Gazprom that supplies a quarter of Europe's gas needs, fully objected to Ukraine's desire to increase gas prices, since it obviously anticipated the loss of profit.

The political feuds between the two countries angered European officials, who were already dismayed at Putin's strategy to restrict media freedom, regional governors and the entire economy, fearing Russia is backing away from the path of democracy. US vice president Dick Cheney was among the first to call on Moscow early this month to loosen its grip early and return to democratic reform. He also accused Russia of using "gas and oil" as a method for blackmailing its neighbors.

Therefore, few would believe that the impressive dinner Putin offered to Barroso and Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel on Wednesday, accompanied by a folklore show with dancers and a 60-person chorus, would indeed make European officials turn their eyes away from the real problems Russia is now trying to mask.