MOSCOW, October 3 (RIA Novosti) - Germany is a reliable and promising partner for Russia, President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday in a message to the country's leaders on German Unity Day.

Germany is currently commemorating its reunification on October 3, 1990.

In his message to Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Horst Koehler, Putin said, "We see in Germany a reliable and promising partner, with which we are linked by the common goals of building a unified and prosperous Europe, dedication to the principles of building a just world order, and the aim of effectively countering international challenges and threats."

"I am certain that Russian-German cooperation will continue to develop productively, remaining an important factor in the stability and security of Europe and the world as a whole," Putin said.

Bilateral relations are developing in the spirit of strategic partnership, in politics, economics, culture and humanitarian areas, the president said.

Since Merkel's first visit to Russia as Germany's leader at the beginning of the year, the leaders have stressed their nations' strategic partnership. Russia and Germany have forged close business links, particularly in the energy sector, where German companies have signed deals with Russian energy giant Gazprom.