U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will arrive in St. Petersburg for an official visit on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Gates will deliver a speech in a naval academy on Monday and meet with his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov, and President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday.
Gates and Serdyukov will discuss missile defense and regional and international security issues.
The visit will be Gates' final trip to Russia as Pentagon chief as he is to retire in 2011, before the 2012 election campaign begins.
He said he wants to vacate his office this year so a new minister can work with the current presidential administration before elections next year.
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON, March 21 (RIA Novosti)
