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On 3 June, within the framework of the 2021 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, RSPP President Alexander Shokhin met with the US business community.
On the American side, Chairman and CEO of Baker Hughes, and Chairman of the US-Russia Business Council (USRBC), Lorenzo Simonelli, president of the Russia and CIS region at Baker Hughes, Elena Akoltseva, as well as USRBC President and CEO Daniel Russell, took part in the talks.
The meeting was held ahead of the Russia-North America Business Dialogue, scheduled for 4 June within the framework of the SPIEF business programme. Lorenzo Simonelli remarked on the great importance of the event due to the lack of a permanent format for such a dialogue.
Alexander Shokhin said: "The RSPP has consistently and fruitfully cooperated with the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Russia and the US-Russia Business Council (USRBC). Thanks to our joint efforts, US companies are not only staying in the Russian market, but also planning to expand their presence in the future."
Both sides are hopeful that there will be a positive impact on business cooperation following the summit in Geneva between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden.
"We hope to be able to take more concrete steps following the summit between our presidents,” the RSPP President said. He noted that in the current climate, only by joining forces and having a clear understanding of expected outcomes can we resist black swan events, turning challenges to our advantage, and suggested that a list of key issues be drawn up with colleagues from AmCham and USRBC for regular discussion.
The meeting participants proposed that climate protection, carbon regulation, sustainable development and ESGs be included on the business cooperation agenda.