What benefit to the Russian business brought the personal diplomacy of Vladimir Putin? On a summit Russia-EC in Lisbon the colleagues reminded the Russian president that it is the last meeting for him in such capacity. “I didn’t understand that much: was it said with joy or regret?” Putin replied with a joke. Soon he will have to withdraw from official visits. It would be not simple: in the period of work the president was absent almost year in Russia. The delegation of the Russian businessmen accompanies Putin in his trips regularly. It is time to sum up numerous business tours.

Dmitry Medvedev heads Gazprom board of directors since 2000. He took a break only once. In 2001 he resigned the honorable post to Rem Vyakhirev, the dismissed chairman of the company board, for the year. Medvedev doesn’t interfere in the company activity straight, but always provides support on the most different questions: from liberalization of Gazprom stock market to MET freezing on gas and expansionisms in power industry.