He said that the volume of Russia’s gold and currency reserves provides a reliable foundation for the country’s macroeconomic stability. Therefore, “one-time shocks can be overcome,” Mr Kudrin said.

The meeting discussed assistance to farmers with the storage and sales of the greatest-ever harvest in the Voronezh Region

"We have always honoured our commitments. Russia has always been a reliable partner. We told our Finnish partners recently that we are ready to postpone certain decisions because of the current international crisis. We do not want to create any additional problems, and are not going to do it. However, we will have to implement some of the announced decisions, and I would like to draw the attention of all the Government's members to this. We will have to carry them out to protect our national interests."

"Russia has always rightly considered itself to be part of the European cultural space. Holding such a major event in Moscow is one more proof of the fact that after many years behind the Iron Curtain Russia is fully and finally returning to the European cultural space."

"I would like to stress that we are not trying to preach at local governments about the way they should operate. According to the Constitution and the law, it is their domain. They can choose priorities and the pace of reforms independently. However, it is the federal government's prerogative to allocate financial aid to regions in accordance with a local governments' efficiency. And we will certainly take advantage of this right."

The agenda included a long-term programme for Transneft’s development over the next 10 to12 years and such major projects as the construction of East Siberia-Pacific pipeline, the Baltic Pipeline System (BPS 2) and the Burgas-Alexandroupolis project.