Putin expands Russian outreach to global talent

The country is ready to welcome those capable of contributing to its science, economy, culture, and sports, the president has said

Russia will help foreign citizens who have expertise in various fields to move to the country, President Vladimir Putin has promised.

In 2024, Putin signed a decree making it easier for foreigners who reject the “neoliberal ideological orientation” of their countries and support traditional values to come to Russia. The Interior Ministry said last fall that 344 people have already received Russian passports under a simplified procedure.

Moscow will now further expand work to attract skilled professionals from abroad, president said as he chaired a meeting of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) Supervisory Board on Wednesday.

“Along with promoting our talent, we will also assist foreign citizens in relocating to Russia,” he said.

Starting from April, foreigners who are “of particular interest” to Moscow will be able to seek assistance in moving to the country from a specialized body overseen by the ASI, Putin announced.

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“We are talking about people who possess highly sought-after professions and knowledge, who are capable of making a significant contribution to the development of the domestic economy, and who have achievements in sports, creative industries, cultural and humanitarian fields, education, and, of course, in the area of science and technology,” he explained.

According to the president, the Interior Ministry will deal with all issues relating to the legal status of those persons in line with a decree that he signed in December.

Late last year, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said “people are flocking to us from all over the world, who not only… fight for sanity in their own countries, but also want to become part of our country.” For some relocating to Russia is a choice, but for others it is the only way to save themselves, she noted.

Zakharova mentioned Tara Reade, who moved to Moscow in 2023, citing fears for her safety after she accused former US President Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her when she was his Senate aid in the 1990s. Biden has denied the accusations.

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“I fell in love with Russia” and found “a sense of home here,” Reade, who is an RT contributor, said after being granted citizenship in December.