The 32nd EU-Russia summit will take place on the January 28 in Brussels, it was announced Friday.
A statement on the summit said, the EU will be represented by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy.
In addition, Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, will also take part in the summit.
Russia will be represented by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The summit will consist of a meeting among principals and key advisers in a format conducive to in-depth political discussion, followed by a working lunch in the same format. A press conference will be held at the end of the lunch.
"Both Russia and the European Union have much to gain by strengthening our cooperation as strategic partners - but for this to be successful, we need mutual understanding and strategic trust. This is what we will try to consolidate at our next Summit, by an open discussion on our common interests, as well as on our differences and the best ways to overcome them," Barroso said ahead of the meeting.
He stressed that an honest, forward-looking dialogue about the future of bilateral economic and political relations is critically important for the benefit of the people of Russia and the EU and for "a democratic, prosperous and stable continent."
Separately, Van Rompuy described the summit as an opportunity for a genuine joint reflection on the nature and direction of the EU-Russia strategic partnership, and said: "Our common interests are many and they encourage us to work together constructively."
"We have also had however a number of differences which need to be discussed and clarified. At this moment, we must focus on our common neighborhood, regional integration processes, trade questions and international commitments" Van Rompuy added.
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