22/10/2018 (Agence Europe) – Contrary to what the cabinet of Russia's Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev had announced (see EUROPE 12118), no meeting between Medvedev and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was planned on the sidelines of the ASEM summit on 18-19 October, a European Commission source told EUROPE. The meeting "did not take place – nor was it planned or requested – but the two spoke on the sidelines of the gala dinner on Thursday evening", the source said. A diplomat from the Council stated that "the situation was not favourable" for a meeting. "It is difficult, for most countries, to make a step towards Russia in the current situation", he added. Furthermore, he said, if the Europeans wanted to talk to a Russian official, it would be to the president, Vladimir Putin. (CG)