**Russia Awaits Western Companies to Return**
Moscow is waiting for official requests from foreign companies to return to Russia, but so far none have been made. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and former president, told state-owned news agency TASS that no one has officially applied yet.
Medvedev said that foreign companies are informally probing the ground before making a decision. This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his government to prepare for the return of Western companies.
Putin emphasized that Russian firms should have “certain advantages” over those re-entering the market. However, since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, hundreds of Western companies have withdrawn from the Russian market.
**Restrictions on Departing Businesses**
The Kremlin has made it difficult for departing businesses by requiring government approval and imposing a mandatory 50% discount on asset sales. They also enforce a 10% “exit tax.”
Russian authorities have seized assets from subsidiaries of foreign companies that continued operating in the country. These restrictions are widely viewed as retaliation for Western sanctions.
**No Major Companies Plan to Return**
Despite intensified diplomatic contacts between Washington and Moscow, no major Western companies have publicly indicated plans to return to Russia. The situation remains unlikely under current geopolitical conditions.
Medvedev warned that any firms looking to return should expect “a separate conversation” and that those who stay out permanently are of no concern to Moscow.