Rusland wenst garanties voor behoud economische belangen in Oost-Europa (en)

Russia is putting pressure on Brussels to ensure access to its markets in Central and Eastern Europe after enlargement next May, according to the Financial Times.

It has also said that it will only support May's enlargement if Brussels agrees to a list of demands which would safeguard its economic interests in those countries.

Fearing that its businesses will lose out, Moscow has sent the EU a list of 14 concerns, including wanting the EU to delay the introduction of higher import tariffs on "sensitive" Russian goods and ease market access for Russian steel producers.

Besides the demand for trade concessions, Russia has also raised the issue of visa requirements for Russians travelling into the EU and the status of the Russian-speaking communities in the Baltic countries.

Next May's enlargement will see former communist countries joining the EU club, raising concerns in Moscow that its influence might be reduced.

"Russia is fighting as hard as possible now to make life difficult for the member states and doing everything to play off countries and issues against each other," a diplomat from Eastern Europe told the FT.