“Gas has reached Primorye and will be used to develop the region, directly serving the interests of the Russians who live here.”

The Russian prime minister and the Queen of Denmark are satisfied with the two countries’ deepening contacts. Vladimir Putin noted that he and his Danish counterpart worked hard to ensure further progress during his visit to Denmark.

The meeting focused on the Strategy of Russia’s Innovative Development until 2020. “An innovative breakthrough is not a one-time effort. In the high-tech sector, it is necessary to constantly reaffirm your competitiveness, in order to prove that you have the right to be a leader year after year,” the Prime Minister emphasised.

The prime minister said that in recent years much has been done to develop St Petersburg’s economy and to fortify the city’s position in Russia and in the world, while acknowledging that there are still many problems for the governor and his colleagues to solve.

The governor summarised the region’s socioeconomic situation in the first seven months of the year, and told the prime minister about their most ambitious projects. Economic achievements help the region to improve healthcare and education, he said.

The prime minister said that the implementation of the Nord Stream project is a good thing both for Russia and for its partners across Europe.

The meeting focused on gas exports and Gazprom’s work inside Russia. The level of gas consumption in the Russian economy has exceeded the pre-crisis level, Miller said.

Vladimir Putin called Nord Stream "an excellent project realised by a large international team."