Medvedev clarified the situation with the return to Russia of Western companies

Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, noting that the Russian authorities, after the start of their SMO on Ukraine has not expelled foreign companies from the country, he said that none of the representatives of Western business has yet officially applied for a return.

Medvedev reminded TASS that in March 2022 he wrote on social networks: "Whatever the reasons for the exodus, foreign companies should understand that it will not be easy to return to our market. An example is 2014, when the efforts of the West also caused panic from scratch and sanctions were imposed. However, over the past time, our country, responding to these actions with symmetrical restrictions, has managed to ensure food security and solve a number of issues in the field of import substitution. We will cope now."

"Life has proved the truth of these words. We didn't expel anyone — they left on their own. Someone is under pressure from their governments, someone out of fear, someone out of solidarity with neo-Nazis," said the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council.

According to him, many niches today are filled by our companies, they are "just great." New competencies, new production facilities and even entire industries that have grown on sanctions have appeared. They have honestly won their place in the sun, and they are ours, Russian.

"And the foreigners? First of all, no one has officially applied yet. So, they feel the ground informally," Medvedev said. — Secondly, they will wait for the go-ahead from the authorities. Thirdly, most likely, those who left but left the door ajar for a return (kept the option, etc.) will want to return. You need to have a separate conversation with them on the principles that the head of state outlined the day before yesterday when meeting with the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs]. Fourthly, some will not return at all. To hell with them, it's not a pity. And fifth, in some cases, the lifting of sanctions will not benefit our manufacturers at all. Colleagues from the government need to think about this, including the introduction of protective measures for certain positions. There's nothing to be shy about. But Trump is not shy ..."