“The packed audience speaks for itself – a great number of global companies prove their interest in Russia,” noted Mr. Kirienko and added that, unlike in the previous year, there was no more panic on the back of depreciating ruble.
However, there is not much to expect in the current and next years, he said. “It would not be true to say that the situation has improved as it is a matter of political influence on business rather than mere relations. For example, many forum participants, including businessmen, made no secret that they were not recommended to come here. However, you know, this time the tone was softer than last year when there were attempts to interfere directly… You remember that executives of global majors said they were called – sometimes from the US Department of State, which is unbelievable – and told not to come to the Forum,” said Sergei Kirienko.
According to him, European economies demonstrate an almost zero growth or even a slightly negative trend. “The key conclusion is probably as follows. Russia remains an attractive partner for foreign businesses – as a vast market and a supplier of raw materials or as an opportunity to work in third countries,” he stressed.
Speaking about the nuclear industry, Sergei Kirienko noted that “there was no problem at all.” “Earlier today we have signed a memorandum with the France-based global major Schneider Electric,” he reminded. “They make more investments. That is, apart from expanding its cooperation with Russia, the French company increases its investments in Russian companies, in Rosatom’s subsidiaries, through joint ventures which we establish together.”
For your reference: the memorandum signed on the sidelines of SPIEF identifies key areas to be addressed under international projects of Rosatom and Schneider Electric, including construction of nuclear power plants, production of advanced electrical equipment and development of process control systems based on Schneider Electric technologies.
A primary agent of the cooperation will be the Urals Electromechanical Plant, Rosatom’s subsidiary that has been licensed by Schneider Electric to produce medium voltage cells in Russia.
