RDIF CEO: Several strategic US investors ready to visit Russia

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 18 (PRIME) -- Several leading U.S. investors have confirmed their readiness to visit Russia as they see that a new U.S. administration wants to cooperate, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), told PRIME late on Tuesday during the World Economic Forum.

He said he had meetings in Davos with U.S. companies, including strategic investors and investment funds. “Their relation toward Russia is seriously changing to positive as they see that the new U.S. administration is aimed at cooperation. Correspondingly, different formal and informal restrictions will be gradually lifted,” he said.

Representatives of several leading U.S. companies confirmed their readiness to visit Russia. “We will definitely organizer the trip,” he said.

More and more investors are showing interest in a meeting of President Vladimir Putin with foreign companies and funds which traditionally takes place during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. “The number of investors who confirmed participation has already exceeded the number of last year. Their geography is also expanding, and now it includes investors from Canada and the U.S.,” he said.

“Everyone sees that the Russian economy has survived the crisis. Everyone sees that oil prices are stable and positive for us. Everyone sees that there are positive moments from the point of view of relations with the U.S. administration. Everyone understands that Russia has achieved serious success in Syria, this is why the relation (of foreign businesses) is changing, and Russia has obviously improved its position over the past year.”

Dmitriev also said that the U.S. may gradually lift its sanctions from Moscow in 2017 as the sanctions have proved their inefficiency and are somewhat obsolete already.

The expected warming of relations between Washington and Moscow and relatively high oil prices provide ground for the three international rating agencies – Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Fitch – to improve Russian ratings. “Of course, the agencies make their own decisions, they have own reasons and views which may sometimes be beyond market’s understanding,” Dmitriev said.

“Market growth by 50% in the U.S. dollar equivalent, low inflation, an expected 1.5% expansion of the economy – all this provides grounds to increase Russian ratings, but the agencies will make their own decisions.”

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