French President Nicolas Sarkozy will make his first official visit to Russia on October 9 and 10, at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin said Friday.

Sarkozy, elected in May, has already met Putin, speaking with him in June at a G8 summit held in Heiligendamm, Germany.

But he has become more critical towards Russia than his predecessor Jacques Chirac, and moved closer to the United States, meeting President George Bush only weeks after his election.

During his election campaign and in a policy speech on August 27, Sarkozy attacked Moscow`s "brutality" in the war in Chechnya and in international diplomacy.
He accused Russia in particular of using its vast oil and gas reserves to impose its will on its neighbours in Europe.

Sarkozy has also taken a tougher line against Iran`s suspect nuclear programme, which is expected to figure in his talks with Putin, an opponent of further sanctions against Tehran.
However economic relations between France and Russia are flourishing, with Moscow in July awarding French oil company Total a 25 percent stake in developing the massive Shtokman gas field in the Barents Sea.
sections: Politics, World News