A short trip to Siberia is not usually regarded as likely to inspire good sense, even in summertime. If the temperature is not freezing, then it is plagued by ferocious mosquitoes. But there is a chance that the latest summit between leaders of Russia and the European Union, held in a booming west Siberian oil town, could prove the exception. If it marks the moment when Moscow and Brussels start to treat each other with the respect they deserve, it will have been worth it.

The EU-Russia relationship is hugely important for both sides, not just in commercial terms, but also for security and political stability. The EU is by far Russia's most important trading partner and also its biggest source of investment. Russia is the EU's third largest partner, after the US and China.