Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Amsterdam on Tuesday, starting the first state visit to the Netherlands by a Russian leader in 130 years.

An official welcoming ceremony was held on Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport during, which a twenty-one salvo salute was fired and the Queen Beatrix and Putin reviewed the Dutch Guard of Honor.

The Russian president then went to Dam Square in the center of Amsterdam, where he laid a wreath at the National Monument.

Later in the day, Putin is scheduled to meet Economic Affairs Minister Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, the mayor of Amsterdam Job Cohen and a delegation of business leaders.

Putin will also visit Russian Czar Peter the Great's residence in Zaandam, where the czar stayed in 1697 when he came to the Netherlands to learn Dutch shipbuilding techniques.

In the evening, the Putins will attend a state banquet with the royals at Palace Noordeinde in The Hague.

On Wednesday, Putin will visit the Dutch parliament and have a 60-minute meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Balkenende. The two leaders are expected to discuss the threat of international terrorism.

The state visit, the first state visit by a Russian head of state in 130 years, concludes at the Noordeinde Palace on Wednesday afternoon.

The Netherlands is Russia's second largest European trading partner after Germany. Russian statistics put the trade turnover between the two countries at 16.6 billion US dollars last year.

Source: Xinhua