Tag Archives: Trade

Putin arrives in Germany on Sunday and is expected to hold talks with Merkel in the evening. Reportedly, the eurozone crisis, collapse of Cyprus’ financial system, situation in Syria and the whole Middle East region are all going to be on the table.With US$104 billion of trade turnover in 2012, Germany is undoubtedly Russia’s biggest trade partner in the EU. According to German statistics, the gross trade turnover between the two countries in the last five years has totaled $452 billion.And since Hannover Messe (Fair), founded in 1947, is the world’s most important technology show and largest industrial exposition, the destination of the Russian president’s visit to Germany has been predetermined.This year Russia is the proud holder of ‘major partner country’ status at the event.Just two days ahead of the visit Russia’s RBC daily reported that there was a ruthless rivalry between participant companies to be included in the route the two leaders will take through the Hannover Fair. Anything touched by the German chancellor and Russia president is sure to get a de facto stamp of approval and unparalleled publicity.Russian industrial heavyweights and technological centers have united in a single conglomerate of stands that will occupy over 4,500 square meters of exposition in Hannover. Overall 173 companies, including energy giant Gazprom, the world’s largest public oil company Rosneft, Russian Railways, nanotechnology state corporation Rosnano, state corporation Rostech, technology innovation center Skolkovo and Uralvagonzavod – Russia’s leading military-industrial corporation. Most of Russia’s top industrial executives, business captains and technocrat billionaires will get to Hannover for at least one day to give remarkable weight to the Russian delegation and accompany the president.Last year the Fair was attended by about 200,000 visitors. In 2013 more than 6,500 companies from 60 countries are set to showcase technological achievements and get new contracts and ties.Over the years German business invested nearly $25 billion into the Russian economy, yet events like Hannover Messe are conducted exactly for that reason – to make mutual investments growing and get economies’ interacting on a new level.Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to return an official visit in summer, attending the St. Petersburg Economic Forum on June 20-21.The next stop for Putin will be the Netherlands capital, Amsterdam, where some 15 large-scale economic documents, including in the gas and oil spheres, are expected to be signed.Even more important, Vladimir Putin and Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte will put a start to the ‘Year of the Netherlands in Russia’ and vice versa. This will include over 350 cultural projects, like concerts, theater tours and expositions that two countries will exchange in 2013-2014. … Read More