Formal talks between the leaders of Russia and the European Union (EU) at their summit started Friday in the far eastern city of Khabarovsk.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at the beginning of the meeting that senior Russian and EU officials will discuss an extremely wide range of issues, including the ongoing financial crisis and energy security.

Also attending the meeting are Czech President Vaclav Klaus, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

The Russia-EU summit are held at a time both sides are trying to mend ties. But analysts expected little outcome from the summit as broad differences remain.

The last 12 months have witnessed a five-day war between Russia and Georgia over the latter's breakaway regions, as well as the gas row that disrupted supplies to Europe in the depths of winter and raised doubts over Russia's credibility as a major gas supplier.

Russia is the EU's third biggest trade partner and supplies about a quarter of the gas consumed in the EU.

EU leaders may also try to convince Russians that its Eastern Partnership program, which will draw six former Soviet republics closer to the bloc, is not aimed at Russia.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2009)