MOSCOW, February 15. /TASS/. The Kremlin has not yet received any indications of interest from businesses in Western countries, as well as South Korea and Japan, regarding a return to the Russian market, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS.
"No, we have not received any such signals," he responded to a relevant question.
Following the recent conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, South Korean media speculated that companies, particularly Hyundai, were considering the prospects of re-entering the Russian market. There have also been reports suggesting that Inditex is exploring the possibility of a return.
Earlier, TASS reported that several foreign brands from the luxury and mid-range segments were negotiating their potential return to Russia. Experts indicate that these brands hope the situation will improve by the end of 2025, allowing them to reenter the market.
In early March 2022, the Inditex group, which includes brands such as Zara, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, and Oysho, decided to suspend its operations in Russia. By October, the company, which had operated over 500 stores in the country, announced an agreement to sell its Russian business to Daher Group.
Pavel Lyulin, the vice president of the Union of Shopping Centers, explained to TASS that negotiations regarding the return of Inditex brands to Russia were being conducted privately.