MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin will address this week’s annual World Economic Forum in Davos by video conference, the Interfax news agency reported on Sunday.
The forum, which gathers business chiefs, political thinkers and state leaders, is online this year due to COVID-19.
Putin did not feature on the pre-conference agenda.
Interfax said Putin had not taken part in Davos since 2009 when he was Russian prime minister.
If he does take part, his appearance is likely to be contentious with critics at a time when the West is weighing possible new sanctions against Russia over its treatment of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
(Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Tom Balmforth)