Putin to Meet Colleagues From Germany, Italy, Austria, Possibly UK, Japan in Milan

MOSCOW, October 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold bilateral meetings with German, Italian, Austrian leaders, and also possibly with the heads of Japan and the United Kingdom in the framework of October 16-17 ASEM [Asia-Europe Meeting] forum in Milan, presidential aide Yury Ushakov told reporters Wednesday.

The meeting takes place amid sanctions imposed by the European Union and Japan against Russia over the Ukrainian crisis.

Ushakov said that upon the arrival in Milan, Putin will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. After that, the president will take part in a dinner hosted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano that will be attended by all the leaders and participants of the ASEM summit. After the dinner, a separate meeting between Putin and Napolitano is planned.

On Friday, after a summit session, the Russian leader and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi are to have an official breakfast. This will be the first meeting of the two leaders.

Apart from the above, there is an agreement for a meeting with Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann, Ushakov added.

"Other contacts may also take place, because several other countries' representatives requested meetings with Putin. Possibly, meetings "on feet" will be organized – short conversations during the dinner, even possibly the dinner with the Italian President, and in course of the session," Ushakov said.

The presidential aide said that other possible meetings might include the one with British Prime Minister David Cameron, as the British side made a corresponding request.

Also, a "brief contact" between Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is possible.

Ushakov added that more substantial talks will take place in the framework of the APEC summit, which will be held in November in China, as the countries’ leaders agreed during the telephone conversation.