Today in Russian Business – June 25, 2010

‘Russia belongs in the WTO’: says US President Barack Obama.  The Kremlin hopes that Russia will have joined by 2011.  Obama praised the country’s decision to buy 50 Boeing aircraft; the aircraft manufacturer has also pledged to participate in the Skolkovo project.  Another positive step in US-Russia business relations: US chicken exports to Russia will resume.  Apparently Apple Mac founder Steve Jobs has told President Medvedev that Russian culture needs to change in order to improve business opportunities.  Deputy Finance Minister Dmitry Pankin has said that the US and Europe must take ‘serious steps’ on fiscal consolidation to ensure that the world economy recovers effectively.  According to the Moscow Times, the number of rich Russians grew by 21.3% in 2009.  Sukhoi’s new aircraft may challenge Brazil’s Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica and Canada’s Bombardier as the only builders of regional jets.  The government reportedly plans to meet 90% of its borrowing needs on the domestic market from 2011-2013.  Chris Osborne, chief executive officer of Troika Dialog USA, talks about growth in Russia in this video.