According to U.S. Deputy Energy Secretary David Sampson, the United States might support Russia’s bid to enter the WTO, despite being accused of blocking the entry. The official said it is reasonable to expect such a deal within the coming weeks. Sampson added that U.S. President George Bush sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin backing the entry and calling to find quick solutions to existing problems.
Washington insists on improving protection of intellectual property rights and introducing lower taxes on imported aircrafts. Another problem is that the countries have failed to reach an agreement on changing Russian legislation for the banking sector. Currently, foreign banks are forced to operate through Russia-registered branches.