WORLD> Europe
Russian president starts visit to Spain
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-02 10:10

MADRID -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived here Sunday night on a two-day state visit, his first bilateral European visit since Russia's war with Georgia last August.

During his stay in Spain, Medvedev is scheduled to attend a state dinner hosted by Spanish King Juan Carlos, meet with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and hold talks with local business leaders.

The Russian president is expected to employ the visit to strengthen economic and trade ties between Russia and Spain.

Before his arrival in Madrid, Medvedev made a stopover in the southern Italian city of Bari, where Italy returned ownership to Russia of an Orthodox church named after St. Nicholas.

At the hand-over ceremony, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano handed Medvedev a key to the church, media reports said.