Medvedev told Halonen that his online Twitter announcement on Tuesday morning about their meeting sparked a flurry of questions, including: "Why? You have met quite recently." The Russian leader praised his country's relations with Finland, saying that "comments of this type mean that indeed we have intensive contacts and close relations, which materialise in regular meetings, in working talks and in state visits, which are always the main thing in relations of two countries."
At the meeting with Medvedev, he reiterated that Russia will not lift its strict requirement that foreigners must be registered to work in the country as long as Russians are required to have visas to enter the EU. Foreign companies say the registration law makes it difficult for them to carry out business in Russia.
Along with her husband Pentti Arajärvi, Halonen is accompanied by Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen and a business delegation.
Halonen will also visit Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, during her visit. The region is home to two Finno-Ugric groups, the Mari and Udmurt peoples. Her visit to Russia draws to an end on Thursday.