Foreign Ministry statement on Moscow withdrawing its bid to host EXPO 2030

The international exhibition movement has become the latest victim of the massive anti-Russia campaign pursued by the collective West to push our country out of all areas of cooperation. It is needless to speak about fair competition for the right to hold world universal exhibitions under such conditions. Apparently, Moscow’s bid to host EXPO 2030 cannot expect a fair and impartial evaluation against four other candidates even if it had indisputable advantages.

In response, the Russian Federation took the principled decision to voluntarily withdraw Moscow’s bid for the right to host EXPO 2030. Notice was sent as required to the Bureau International des Expositions on May 23, 2022.

There can be no doubt that the pressure on our country and our partners is another nefarious attempt by some countries to smear our country. The entire world saw a unique Russian pavilion at the EXPO 2020 in Dubai, including a hi-tech presentation of Moscow as an EXPO 2030 candidate city. Someone probably thought it was better to shamelessly use dodgy methods rather than compete on equal terms.

We want to believe that in the foreseeable future the global exhibition movement will get back to its historical roots when it was engaged in apolitical and purely applied activity. We hope that the necessary conditions will emerge in the future for Russia to compete on equal terms for the right to host a World Expo.

Quelle: Pressemitteilungen – Botschaft der Russischen Föderation