Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Dmitry Medvedev: Mr Prime Minister, I would like to extend a heartfelt welcome to you and the delegation of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on your visit to the Moscow Region.

The last time we met was in Sochi. It was warmer there, it was summer. It’s been two years already, and the years have been rather productive. We have advanced our cooperation in the field of finance. I would like to inform you that recently, on September 20, the Russian Government considered the relevant protocol on introducing amendments to our bilateral agreement on avoiding double taxation. The document will be ratified, which means that a significant part of our work will have been completed.

Today I suggest we discuss cooperation in trade and the economy, and in the financial sphere. I admit that we are very concerned about the situation in the euro zone and the European economy because the development of the economy of the European Union and the euro zone has a very big impact on Russia. My heartfelt greetings again!

Jean-Claude Juncker (via interpreter): Thank you, Mr Prime Minister. I am very happy to meet with you today. It is a great honour to meet with you. Indeed, the last time we met was in Sochi in the middle of summer. The weather was wonderful, and everyone was in a great mood, much like today, today we are also in a good mood because we are in Russia. At that time, we submitted a project for your consideration which I will be unveiling tomorrow. It is about the construction of a monument to the memory of the Luxembourg soldiers who lost their lives on the territory of the Soviet Union. And I would like to thank you for all your efforts to make this project a success.

We are also set to meet with the President today. I can say that you work very efficiently. My story is completely different, and such is the difference between your country and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg … And I would also like to thank our Ambassador for constantly overseeing this project.

I am very happy to say that an agreement to avoid double taxation will be submitted to the State Duma. This, too, is the result of our meeting in Sochi. And I am very happy that the work on this document went on continuously because it is one thing to sign an agreement, and quite another to ratify it. These things often lag behind each other in terms of specific deadlines. And I am very happy that it will be ratified soon. Naturally, this also concerns our Parliament, which received the draft agreement several months ago.

As for the situation in the eurozone, I would like to say a few more words on this issue…

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