A stake of more than a third would allow Western Digital to veto board decisions.

But the 45-year old president has shown no sign of allowing Western pressure to deter him from suppressing popular dissent.

A softening or removal of sanctions would allow Western investment and credit to flow in, lifting growth and strengthening Putin's election prospects.

French gas and power group Engie's Chairman Gerard Mestrallet told reporters the new financial structure would allow Western partners to resolve Polish objections.

And the Kremlin provided weapons to Arab governments to persuade them not to allow Western countries to set up bases there, he said.

Analysts have said the cash infusion could allow Western Digital to take bigger steps in flash and solid-state storage, its key interest areas.

Toshiba allowed Western Digital partial access to shared data servers after the Superior Court of California granted a temporary restraining order earlier this month.

The current regime allows western countries to meet their targets on the cheap, and the financing available through carbon trading could be better employed elsewhere.

Toshiba on Thursday said it would allow Western Digital employees to access the databases, a day after a U.S. court ordered it to do so.