President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Russia was “counting” on foreign investments to realise major new projects, as the recent arrests of foreign businessmen hung over a showcase economic forum. “Clearly we are counting first and foremost on attracting investment, both domestic and foreign” in order to diversify and boost the economy, Putin told a roundtable with the heads of major news agencies at the event. After two years of recession — caused by a fall in oil prices and sanctions for its role in the Ukraine crisis — Russia returned to growth in 2017.
