MOSCOW, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who ran Russia for eight years, showed his influence in the country's actions in Georgia, geopolitical observers said.

BERLIN, March 5 (UPI) -- European officials hope that Russia's future President Dmitry Medvedev will break the ice in relations with the West.

BERLIN, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Five Eastern European states have agreed to build a new oil pipeline, in a move they say increases their energy security by reducing dependency on Russia.

BERLIN, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Germany’s special energy relationship with Russia threatens energy security in Europe, critics say. Others argue Europe’s largest economy needs to build up strong ties with Europe’s biggest energy importer.

MOSCOW, March 19 (UPI) -- A U.S. plan to deploy a missile defense system in the Czech Republic and Poland could "split Europe," a political scientist said Monday.