The information was shared by Mr. Kirill Dmitriev, General Director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), after a breakfast meeting with representatives of the US Chamber of Commerce, on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Petersburg (SPIEF) 2025, June 19.
We are negotiating joint investments in the fields of the Arctic, rare earth metals, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and many other sectors. The priority is still Russian companies, but US partners will enter the market through a joint venture model, Dmitriev affirmed.
According to him, in the context of Russian sanctions causing the US to lose up to 300 billion USD, businesses are actively petitioning President Donald Trump to loosen investment barriers.
Many US businessmen attending SPIEF also emphasized the existence of a decree issued by the Biden administration banning new investment in Russia, and said they are campaigning to amend this policy.
It is noteworthy that despite the ban, some US companies continue to operate in Russia and are looking for expansion opportunities. We see increasing interest from US investors. They come here not only to observe but also to seriously discuss specific projects" - Mr. Dmitriev added.
Robert Agee, president of the US chamber of Commerce in Russia, assessed that Russia is still a strategic market thanks to its large scale, rich resources and high consumer demand. He also hopes that if the conflict in Ukraine ends, the possibility of the US and Russia resuming dialogue and easing sanctions is entirely feasible.
On the Russian side, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said he would not close to foreign investors, but stressed the need for "smart" investments, which is not only building production capacity, but also developing advanced technology in weak sectors.
However, according to expert Georgy Ostapkovich, Director of the HSE Market Research Center, all current deals are still in the goodwill exchange stage, not yet converted into practical actions.
He commented: "until the international conflict enters a peaceful stage, it is too early to talk about the return of Western businesses."
However, he acknowledged that the US has always been a leader in publicizing cooperation plans, and did not rule out the possibility that European private companies are also quietly negotiating with Russia.
If it is strategic industries like chip manufacturing or high technology, negotiation will be inevitable. But in every joint venture, control still needs to be in the hands of the Russian people, he affirmed.
