RF Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gives an advice to President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko to meet with Georgian President Mikael Saakashvili without a tie.

At the press conference following Putin’s talks with Ukraine’s PM Yulia Tymoshenko, Russian PM when asked by Russian journalist whether he is informed about Saakashvili’s visit to Ukraine said, “You deem I keep track of [Saakashvili’s] visits?” “I know what [Tymoshenko] and I were doing. The first deputy RF PM, and deputy ministers of industry, energy and transport were present in our delegation. We talked about cooperation in space, engineering industry, energy, and transport,” stated Putin.

“We have agreed on a number of crucial issues both for Russia and Ukraine,” he underlined. “I have no idea what our counterparts were doing, however, I deem the two presidents will always have topics for discussion, and a place to go.”

Then Putin said, “the two fighters must have been sharing reminiscences of the passed days, struggles and what they have wasted.” “[PM Tymoshenko] invited me at the dinner and we will talk about Chekhov there. What else could I advice? The two presidents [Saakashvili and Yushchenko] should dine without ties. Nowadays ties carry a price, one instant or the other…and…- you get me — Yushchenko’s guest may eat up event the tie,” Putin pointed out.

According to Ukrainskaya Pravda, Tymoshenko laughing added, “Vladimir Vladimirovich, by all means I can host the dinner without a tie.”

Soon after the August war broke out between Georgia and Russia, a BBC footage showed Saakashvili eating up his tie.