GISTZ:Russia Direct Brief: 'Kremlin lobbyists in the West'

As the West attempts to apply pressure on Moscow with economic sanctions, Russian businesses and the Kremlin are investing in lobbying efforts in the U.S. and the EU to minimize their impact.


This Brief addresses whether these efforts have been successful so far, and hypothesizes what future lobbying efforts within the U.S. and the EU might accomplish, especially with regard to sanctions.

The author of this Brief is Sergei Kostiaev, a leading expert in the field and associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. In his analysis, Kostiaev looks into exactly which Russian entities are hiring Western lobby firms, analyzes their budgets using the latest available statistics and outlines the goals they are trying to achieve.

This Brief also explains the reasons why the Russian diaspora is paying such a marginal role in Russia’s lobbying activities in the West. Finally, Kostiaev examines the recent decision by the Russian government to end its nine-year contract with U.S. public relations firm Ketchum. The result is the most up-to-date and concise picture of Russian lobbying in the West.