Russian President Vladimir Putin is to visit Greece on Friday and Saturday. It will be his first official trip to an EU member state in almost a year. The Kremlin says Putin will meet Greece's prime minister and president to discuss economic ties and energy projects.

The Russian leader will also join celebrations for the 1,000th anniversary of the Russian presence at the ancient monastic community of Mount Athos in northern Greece, one of Orthodox Christianity's holiest sites. Putin's last visit to the European Union was to Italy in June last year.