Russia wants to reduce state's role in the country's economy and will curtail government's expenditure in order to cope with the growing inflation, said the Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in an interview for Reuters.

He stressed the importance of international cooperation to solve global economic problems. Analysts report that rising inflation, which may reach 14% this year, is Russia's main economic problem.

Medvedev defended his predecessor Vladimir Putin, who established a strict government control over certain sectors of economy as energy and defence.

According to him, this is important for ensuring strategic interests of the economy in the coming years.

"It is not provided any further strengthening of state's role in the economy", said Medvedev. "On the contrary, we will take measures to reduce the presence of the state in the economy", he said.