Putin's aide Sergei Prikhodko said in mid-September that he did not rule out the purchase of a blocking stake in EADS, which holds an 80% stake in Airbus, and other assets.
"Gazprom has never had plans for the acquisition of EADS, but one of [Russia's] banks bought a 5% stake in the company," Vladimir Putin said. "We have no plans for a hostile takeover. The bank's deal was due to its strategy on the financial and stock market."
Vneshtorgbank, Russia's state-run foreign trade bank, informed EADS in early September that it acquired 5.02% of its capital.
Putin said Russia's stake in EADS could increase if the sides show interest in the deal on Russia's industrial participation in the European holding.
"If experts decide that [the deal] will benefit the development of the aircraft building industry both in Europe and Russia, a decision will be made to hand this 5% stake, or even more, to our aircraft building corporation," he said.
Putin signed a resolution February 21 on forming the United Aircraft Building Corporation (UABC) that will be a majority state-owned corporation, consolidating aircraft building companies and state assets engaged in the manufacture, design and sale of military, non-military, transport and unmanned aircraft. State-owned fighter jet producer MiG, as well as aviation companies Sukhoi, Tupolev, and Ilyushin will be integrated into the UABC.
