Holding the Fort - Another View

Nicholas Watt in the Guardian reports a clash between Jacques Chirac and Angela Merkel at Lahti yesterday - Watt's account of what took place at the summit contradicts the Finnish government's version in several respects, by covering aspects of the meeting that did not figure in the Finnish press and media.

Jacques Chirac and Angela Merkel clashed yesterday on how to deal with Vladimir Putin as European leaders tried to hammer out a common approach on the EU's relations with Russia

Hours before President Putin took centre stage at an EU summit in Lahti the leaders of France and Germany disagreed on the strength of a warning to Russia after gas supplies were cut last winter.

European divisions over Russia were highlighted when the French president told the Finland summit that the EU had no choice but to deal with Mr Putin. Mr Chirac said the EU needed to recognise the pressures on Mr Putin.