Heads of Russia, Germany and France hold talks in Deauville

The leaders of Russia, France and Germany, Dmitry Medvedev, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel, are holding talks on Tuesday in the French town of Deauville. They are expected to discuss simplification of the visa regimes with EU countries, the conclusion of the treaty on European security, energy, development of relations between Russia and NATO as well as the nuclear issues involving Russia, the EU and Iran, RIA Novosti reports.

The talks come a month before an important meeting of NATO in Lisbon, where the alliance is to approve a new strategic doctrine. US officials have expressed discontent with the idea that France and Germany are talking to Russia about security — without the United States present — in advance of the NATO talks, the New York Times reports.

Mrs. Merkel said on Saturday that a goal of the summit was to improve cooperation between NATO and Russia, “as the Cold War is over for good,” according to the New York Times.