U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has kicked off his European tour beginning with Finland before heading to Russia and Moldova later in the week, White House spokesman Tony Blinken said.
Blinken said the vice president left Washington on Sunday night and plans to meet with Finnish President Tarja Halonen on Monday.
Biden will then head to Moscow on Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday, he will meet with U.S. businessmen and visit Skolkovo, dubbed Russia's Silicon Valley outside the capital, where he will participate in a roundtable with Russian businessmen. That evening, Biden is to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
On Thursday, Biden will meet with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and will later give a speech at Moscow State University on bilateral relations of the two countries.
Biden will leave Russia on Friday and visit Moldova's capital, Chisinau, to hold talks with Prime Minister Vladimir Filat. This will be the first time a U.S. vice president has visited Moldova.
WASHINGTON, March 7 (RIA Novosti)
