Putin unfreezes Goldman Sachs assets amid US talks
Vladimir Putin signed an order unfreezing the assets of the American bank Goldman Sachs in Russia, as reported by "The Moscow Times." This move comes just before another round of talks with the United States.
Putin's decision to unblock the assets of Goldman Sachs in Russia paves the way for the sale of shares in nine key Russian companies, including Gazprom and Rosneft.
Putin unfreezes Goldman Sachs assets
The value of these shares on the Moscow Stock Exchange was approximately 7.4 billion rubles, or around 123 million Canadian dollars. This decision precedes a new stage of talks with the United States, suggesting a possible interest in enhancing economic relations between the countries, according to "The Moscow Times."
Goldman Sachs received permission to sell shares to the Balchug Capital fund, which had previously purchased its Russian branch from the American bank. This fund, managed by David Amaryan, has already invested in assets sold by Western companies after the conflict began. It is important to note that the assets of investors from countries considered "unavailable" were frozen in Russia in response to the blocking of Russian foreign exchange reserves.
USA lifts sanctions from the wife of a Putin-linked oligarch
Karina Rotenberg, the wife of Boris Rotenberg, a close oligarch of Vladimir Putin, was removed from the U.S. sanctions list on Wednesday, as stated on the U.S. Department of the Treasury's website. The reason for her removal is not known.
Boris Rotenberg is a childhood friend of Putin and his former judo sparring partner. Together with his brother Arkady, he operates the construction company Stroygazmontazh, through which he has accumulated significant wealth via public contracts, including the construction of the Crimean Bridge, connecting Russia with the Ukrainian Crimea. He was subjected to American sanctions in 2014, while his wife faced sanctions in 2022.
Kremlin business advisor to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, is set to travel to the United States this week. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Wednesday that such a visit might occur.
Putin's advisor visiting USA
Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), is scheduled to meet with U.S. envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who has also been involved in ceasefire talks in Russia's conflict with Ukraine for several months.
According to Reuters, this will mark the first visit of a high-ranking Russian official to Washington since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The anticipated meeting was earlier reported by CNN, which mentioned that Dmitriev and Witkoff will discuss strengthening relations between the two countries.
The White House, the U.S. State Department, and the Russian Embassy in Washington have not yet confirmed the visit of Putin's advisor to the United States.
