Fraser Cameron: Europe must be confident in talks with new President

President Bush had a 20-minute meeting with Mr Medvedev in Sochi last month and declared him a "sound fella". But then George Bush's judgement of other leaders has been found wanting. Angela Merkel, the first EU leader to visit Dmitry Medvedev after his election victory, was more cautious. She called for a united stance by the EU towards Russia.

Related articles

• Medvedev sworn in as Russian president
• Mary Dejevsky: Take heart from the city that shaped Medvedev
• Leading article: A new leader, and the long shadow cast by Mr Putin

He takes office before the EU-Russia summit in Siberia on 26 June. The ball is in the EU's court as to its importance and likely success. Last week's foreign ministers' meeting failed to agree on opening negotiations for a new EU-Russia agreement and talks have been stalled by Polish, and now Lithuanian, objections.

Assuming the EU does get its act together, the summit could see the start of difficult negotiations. Although EU-Russia relations suffer from many problems, the fact is they are becoming more and more inter-dependent.

The EU needs Russian oil and gas, while Russia needs help to diversify its economy. Improving energy efficiency is an area where both sides should be able to work out a win-win package. EU know-how could also be useful for Russia in tackling its social ills.

The EU needs to negotiate with Russia as it is and not as it would like it to be. This does not mean neglecting issues of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, but it should hold Russia to its existing obligations, especially in the Organisation for Co-operation and Security in Europe and Council of Europe.

The EU should also be more self-confident. Its economy is 10 times bigger than Russia's. Gazprom gets 70 per cent of its profits from sales to Europe and is thus highly dependent on the EU market.

Russia also wants visa-free travel and access to the EU's internal market and scientific programmes. But all this can be undermined if the EU fails to speak with a common voice.

Now is the time to make a special effort. Many of Mr Medvedev's priorities are shared by the EU. The question is – can and will he deliver?

Fraser Cameron is director of the EU Russia Centre