During the meeting, employment programs in Russia were touched upon.

"The most important thing today, one of the key issues, is to ensure the safety of supplies. That is why, realizing that such situations may arise in the future, Russia has long set the task of diversifying supplies of our energy. To this end, we launched the plan to build the North-Western pipeline system under the Baltic Sea and another system under the Black Sea (we tentatively call it the South Stream). For that purpose, we built the Blue Stream pipeline to Turkey on the bottom of the Black Sea."

"I would like to draw your attention to the fact that Gazprom does not supply gas to Ukraine, and consequently, its actions cannot be called smuggling, whichever way you look at it. Gazprom has nothing to do with what is happening in Ukraine. Rather, it is the transit country that is to be blamed."

Mr. Putin and Mr. Miller discussed the situation of the gas delivery to Ukraine and the gas transit through the Ukrainian territory.

The President and the Prime Minister skied together, and later spent a long time talking with other skiers, who wished the President and the Prime Minister a happy New Year and wished them health and happiness.

"I would like to wish you a happy New Year, and luck and success in the competition. I want to thank all the athletes, coaches and organisers of the event for your decision to hold the Alpine Ski Cup in Moscow. It is a great New Year's gift for all lovers of alpine skiing and of all winter sports. This will promote alpine skiing both in the world and here, in Russia."

"We have made it known that we will draw a list of strategic companies entitled to special attention. An initial list has already been published. The matter concerns companies playing a unique, strategic economic role. They are responsible for our compliance with international pledges and possess unique technologies. It certainly concerns companies with major social responsibilities-large employers on which cities and other localities depend for their sustenance."

The meeting discussed measures to reduce tensions in the labour market in the Russian regions.

Mr Putin and Mr Frank discussed the implementation of various Sovkomflot projects.