American experts have warned against exaggerating Russia’s image as an “investment treasure,” stressing that the availability of natural resources does not negate the inherent political and legal risks facing any return of American capital to Moscow.
According to the Wall Street Journal, figures close to US President Donald Trump, including his advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, believe that Russia could represent an opportunity to reintegrate into the global economy and attract American investments. However, analysts warn against an optimistic reading that ignores structural realities.
Geopolitical risk analyst Charles Hecker, who spent four decades in the Soviet Union and Russia, stressed that the Russian economy suffers from chronic weakness, demographic deterioration, and almost complete dependence on energy, considering that “Russia is not Eldorado,” and that the size of potential profits is much less than what is being promoted. Economists point out that a $2.5 trillion economy lacks growth drivers outside of oil and gas.
Former investors in Russia confirm that any settlement of the war in Ukraine will not remove mutual doubts with the West, and that political risks will remain a pressure factor on foreign companies.
Some believe that the opportunities available are limited to specific sectors such as Arctic gas or rare metals, while large investments require direct guarantees from the Kremlin, which are not guaranteed.
Observers conclude that betting on Russia in the current stage is like walking a tightrope: high profit ambition versus serious risks that could turn any opportunity into a loss at any moment.
