Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Tyumen Region Governor Vladimir Yakushev

Mr Putin and Mr Yakushev discussed the challenges facing the region – some industries lagging behind, the danger of drought and forest fires. However, as the prime minister noted, the region looks pretty good on the whole. Mr Putin and Mr Yakushev focused especially on the construction of major educational facilities and the health care modernisation programme.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Sberbank CEO German Gref

Vladimir Putin and German Gref discussed the bank's results for the first quarter of 2011, as well as the bank's social programmes – primarily support for the mortgage system. Special attention was paid to Sberbank’s programme for building family-type children's homes.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with the Federal President of the Republic of Austria, Dr Heinz Fischer

“Russian-Austrian relations have been improving, moving into a new dimension of a partnership based on trust,” Mr Putin said.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a meeting of the Russian organising committee for the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture

“Language and a country's spiritual, cultural and historical heritage are what define national identity and bind together the people, society, and the entire country. What’s more, in many ways, these form the foundations for state sovereignty.”

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a meeting with Federation Council member Nikolai Fyodorov

During the meeting Vladimir Putin suggested that Nikolai Fyodorov lead the Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies, one of the goals of which is, according to the prime minister, providing “intellectual support” for the preparations of the Russian Popular Front and United Russia for parliamentary elections.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits Minsk to attend a meeting of the heads of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Alzambek Atambayev on the sidelines of the meeting of the CIS Heads of Government Council

Prime Minister Putin takes part in a limited attendance meeting of the EurAsEC Interstate Council

“I am convinced that the collaborative efforts within the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space will lend support to all aspects of our cooperation and propel it to a whole new level.”

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin takes part in an extended meeting of the EurAsEC Interstate Council

“Cooperation in EurAsEC played a significant role during the crisis in terms of stabilising our national economies. This only testifies to the community’s efficiency as one of the leading structures of international integration in Eurasia.”