All news

Russia to consider full-fledged membership in CERN — Medvedev

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia has been cooperating with CERN for a long time
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Astakhov/Russian Government Press Office/TASS
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev
© Dmitry Astakhov/Russian Government Press Office/TASS

GENEVA, June 10. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday he is optimistic about Russia’s cooperation with the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN.

"The traditions that have been established for us, for Russia, give grounds to be optimistic about future cooperation," he said at a meeting with CERN Director General Fabiola Gianotti.

The Russian prime minister noted that Russia has been cooperating with CERN for a long time. "We should think how to continue this cooperation in the future," he said, adding that he had met with Russia scientists working at CERN who said they were inspired by their work there. In his words, they also discussed prospects for Russia’s full-fledged membership in CERN.

"We will look at this possibility and will continue to maintain contacts with you on that matter," Medvedev added.

Gianotti, in turn, stressed that CERN is also interested in close cooperation with Russia, including in using Russian know-how and attracting Russian scientists to participate in CERN projects.

Earlier in the day, Medvedev toured CERN’s key project — the Large Hadron Collider — and said he was impressed by it.

Established in 1954, Ruthe European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, is a European scientific organization focusing on fundamental research in the sphere of particle physics. Headquartered in Geneva, the organization now has 23 member states. Russia enjoys the observer status.

In April 2019, the Russian government signed a cooperation agreement with CERN.