EU-Russia talks rife with disputes
Russia's rifts with the European Union tend to take center stage at the summit attended by the country's President and the EU leaders.
Issues as trade, energy, human rights and Balkan conflicts have not ceased to complicate Russia's relations with the bloc. The way towards a planned strategic partnership agreement which aims at cementing the country's relations with the union is not devoid of setbacks either.
Save repealing Russia's two-year ban on Polish meat imports and brokering two minor deals which target drugs and Russian steel exports, the two sides are not expected to go far in reducing the ancient friction.
The Russian leader already seemed to be in a disputatious mood condemning US sanctions against Iran and trying to hush calls for Kosovo's independence.
This is the last round of EU-Russia biannual talks at which Putin attends as President before the end of his presidential term in 2008.
He started the negotiations Friday with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.
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