Many U.S. companies willing to fill Russian market niches left by European business - RDIF head

WASHINGTON. April 4 (Interfax) - Many U.S. companies are willing to fill niches on the Russian market that were vacated by Europeans, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) head and Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation Kirill Dmitriev said.

"We see that many American companies want to fill the niches that European companies exited. And we see that such ideological restraints that exist among European Union countries could actually allow American companies to fill a number of niches," Dmitriev told journalists after his negotiations in Washington.

However, it is possible only in the areas "where it is useful for Russia, where the Russian government would approve it, and where joint businesses with Russian companies will be created," he said.

The negotiations in Washington addressed various economic and investment issues as well, he said.

"And here we see that American companies are eager to return to Russia. Today, there are more than 150 American companies in Russia, and over 70% of them have been present on our market for more than 25 years," Dmitriev said.