President Vladimir Putin met with his French and German counterparts near the Baltic Sea port of Kaliningrad on Sunday for talks focusing on the Russian exclave's special status and Moscow's often thorny relations with the European Union. Putin invited French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to take part in Sunday's festive celebrations marking the 750th anniversary of the founding of Kaliningrad, which was a German city known as Koenigsberg until it was taken by Soviet troops in 1945. The presence of German and French leaders at the ceremony was meant to underline Russia's close relationship with those two nations, The Associated Press reported. Talks between Putin, Chirac and Schroeder were to focus on Russia's relations with the European Union. The EU is Moscow's largest trading partner, accounting for more than half of its trade, while Russia is a major energy supplier for Europe. The leaders were also to discuss Kaliningrad's special status. The three leaders were expected to focus on the upcoming summit of the Group of Eight nations in Scotland. The Kremlin official said the three leaders also were to discuss international issues such as the war in Iraq, Iran's nuclear program and reforming the United Nations.
