The years since the end of the Cold War in the 1990s have witnessed a continuing warming up and strengthening in relations between Russia and the European Union (EU).

In Brussels in December, 1993, the two sides signed a joint political declaration on establishing a Russia-EU partnership and cooperative relations, announcing the birth of a twice-a-year summit meeting mechanism between Russia and the EU.

The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) inked by the then Russian President Boris Yeltsin and the EU leaders in Greece in June, 1994, with a duration of 10 years, has brought the bilateral relations to a new stage.

The following is a brief introduction to major meetings of the EU-Russia Summit:

On May 15, 1998, the first EU-Russia Summit was held in Birmingham, Britain. The joint declaration issued at the summit said a strategic partnership between the EU and Russia would aid peace, stability and prosperity on the European continent.

On Oct. 22, 1999, strategies to develop 2000-2010 mid-term links were passed at the fourth summit in Helsinki, Finland, setting out a framework for the development of the EU-Russia partnership.

On May, 17, 2001, the two sides reiterated in a joint declaration at the seventh summit in Moscow, Russia, that the EU and Russia would continue to push forward their strategic cooperative partnership in the 21st century, and build a common European economic space in five to 10 years.

On Nov. 11, 2002, Russia and the EU focused their 10th summit in Brussels on problems surrounding EU enlargement, including the issue of transit of people in Russia's Kaliningrad region as well as energy cooperation. Agreements reached at the summit laid a solid foundation for the EU enlargement and further growth of bilateral cooperation.

On May 31, 2003, at the St. Petersburg Summit, the EU and Russia agreed to reinforce their cooperation by creating in the long term four "Common Spaces." It was decided to create a common economic space, a common space of freedom, security and justice, a common space on external security and a common space on research, education and culture.

On May 21, the 13th summit was held in Moscow. The two sides signed a protocol supporting Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). At the following summit on Nov. 25, the same year in The Hague, the EU and Russia exchanged views on economic, legal, security as well as research, education and culture cooperation.

On May 10, 2005, the Moscow Summit adopted a single package of road maps to act as the short and medium-term instruments for the implementation of the creation of the four Common Spaces.

Source: Xinhua