President Vladimir Putin urged international companies "not to succumb to pressure and blackmail" in the conclusion of his appearance Friday at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
"I have a very simple message — think about your profits and the possible dividends from work in Russia," Putin said when asked to send a brief message to the business community, Interfax reported.
Foreign participation in the forum was lower this year than in 2013 on account of political antagonism fomented by the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.