ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk arrived this afternoon in St. Petersburg for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). While in Russia, Ambassador Kirk will meet with senior Russian officials including First Deputy Premier Igor Shuvalov, Russian Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina, and Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin. Topics of discussions will include Russia's bid for accession to the World Trade Organization, and U.S.-Russia bilateral trade relations.
On Thursday, June 4, Ambassador Kirk will participate in the U.S. - Russia Business Dialogue, hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia. On Friday, June 5, Ambassador Kirk will attend a panel discussion entitled, "Strengthening the Role of International Cooperation and Opposing Protectionism." This event will be moderated by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times.
