Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Minister-President of Bavaria Horst Seehofer

“German-Russian relations are developing rather successfully. Trade in 2010 soared by over 30% and reached almost $52 billion. Bavarian companies have made a substantial contribution to this overall positive balance,” Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at the meeting.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin takes part in the All-Russian Forum of Medical Workers

“The availability of high-quality health services, the working conditions of doctors and nurses, and their commitment to doing their duty to patients – all of that is crucial for the lives of individuals, for their families and for the future of the country as a whole. The cost of the reform we are planning is high, but even higher than that is the value of the hopes and expectations of millions of Russians. It is our goal to meet their expectations and not to lose their trust.”

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speaks to the media following national forum of medical workers

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Gennady Zyuganov, the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and of the Communist group in the State Duma, and Ivan Melnikov, deputy chairman of the party

The meeting with Communist leaders was the last of Mr Putin’s consultations with parliamentary groups preceding the government report to the State Duma.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arrives in Kiev to hold talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and to meet with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Mykola Azarov in Kiev

During the talks, Mr Putin underscored the rapid revival of bilateral trade and economic contacts, which increased by 62% in 2010 and by another 63% in January-March to exceed the pre-crisis level. Ukraine now steadily ranks third, after Germany and China, among Russia’s strategic trade and economic partners.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych

“This is indeed a significant day. Our countries share this holiday, and I’d like to repeat that Ukrainian specialists did a lot to advance space exploration and the aerospace industry in the Soviet Union. But of course I agree with you that we must look to the future. We have great prospects,” the Russian prime minister said at the meeting with the Ukrainian president.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a video conference on the performance of the Pension Fund in 2010

“Russia is the world’s only country to have carried out a large-scale modernisation of its pension system and raised pensions and other benefits during the economic crisis. As a result, pensions for retirees grew, on average, by nearly 45% last year alone.”