The European Union, the United States and Russia agreed Wednesday to work more closely to fight terrorism, German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said after meeting with his Russian and U.S. counterparts.

"We have agreed on a range of concrete measures," said Schaeuble, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.

A top-level working group, as proposed by Russia, would be established to look into closer cooperation among these countries, he said.

Meanwhile, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said better cooperation is needed to tackle the increasing potential risks.

"We need to improve our networks because the terrorists are improving theirs," he said.

"We are bound by the common agenda of protecting our people from terrorism and we plan on strengthening the bonds forged by difficult times," he said.

The leaders also agreed that more action should be taken to root out the opium trade in Afghanistan which was financing international terrorism.

EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said opium production was growing particularly fast in southern Afghanistan where Taliban insurgents are relatively more active.

"We therefore have to continue with the stabilization of the country and with efforts to establish the rule of law on the ground and reform the justice system," he said.