Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will attend an informal meeting of European Union leaders in Lahti, Finland, today.
Organised by the Finnish presidency, the focus of discussions will be on energy policy across the EU.
President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will join the meeting in the evening, at which EU/Russian relations will be discussed.
Finnish prime minister Matti Vanhanen has indicated that pressure must be applied on the Russians over its use of its vast gas output as a foreign policy tool.
Some 25 per cent of EU gas supplies come from Russia, but
some member states have developed unilateral arrangements for Russian gas. Mr Vanhanen said members states must look beyond narrow self interest.
A plan unveiled by the European Commission yesterday to cut energy consumption by 20 per cent before 2020 will form the basis of the discussions.
Also on the agenda will be innovation policy in the EU and the union's external relations with regard to energy policy.
The next formal meeting of the European Council will take place in Brussels on December 14th and 15th.