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Russian, Finnish presidents to talk bilateral ties, interregional cooperation

The presidents will also exchange opinions on foreign policy agenda and cooperation in the framework of different international agencies

MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to meet in Moscow on Tuesday with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto who will pay a visit at the invitation of the Russian leader.

During the talks, the sides plan to discuss issues on the development of the Finland-Russia relations, in particular, in the trade, economy, culture and humanitarian spheres and key issues of the interregional and near-border cooperation, the Kremlin press service said.

The presidents will also exchange opinions on foreign policy agenda and cooperation in the framework of different international agencies.

Putin and Niinisto hold regular phone conversations to discuss topical issues of bilateral and international agenda, in particular the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis and Western sanctions against Russia.

The leaders will meet for the seventh time. Last time, the Finnish president paid a visit to Russia in mid-June 2015. The sides discussed the prospects of implementing the Minsk agreements, cooperation in the nuclear power sphere and development of mutual trade.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Prikhodko earlier told reporters that on March 29-30 St. Petersburg will host a meeting of co-chairs of the intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation. "The Finnish partners have an interest to overcome the current stage (of difficult relations) that we entered not due to our (Russia’s) fault," he said.