MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin may attend the 2019 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that no final decision had been made yet.
"We are not ruling anything out, but no decisions have been made yet," he said.
"We do welcome a change in the atmosphere in Davos and there indeed is an old and a constantly renewed invitation to Putin to visit Davos," Peskov noted. According to him, "no decisions have been made so far, the president’s schedule is rather heavy given the international situation, but the possibility is under consideration."
In November, Davos Forum organizers said that co-owner of Rusal Oleg Deripaska, owner of the Renova Group Viktor Vekselberg and VTB head Andrei Kostin would not be invited to the 2019 event. Moscow said that the absence of Russian representatives would negatively affect the forum, particularly the level of discussion.
However, the organizers later changed their mind. "Since Davos Forum organizers have changed their decision and removed restrictions imposed earlier on some of the Russian businessmen, a Russian government delegation will go to Davos and participate in the Forum," the Russian cabinet said. However, no delegation members’ names have been announced yet.
In mid-December, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that US President Donald Trump would attend the World Economic Forum in Davos. "As you know, the World Economic Forum will take place in Davos, Switzerland, from January 22 through 25. The President will attend, as he did last year," she said.