Russia's Putin says everyone should be free to attend Davos forum

Reuters
Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaks during a news conference on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Singapore November 15, 2018. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that everyone should be free to decide whether or not to attend the Davos World Economic Forum, commenting on a report that three Russian businessmen had been barred from the event over sanctions. Putin was speaking to reporters at a regional summit in Singapore in response to a question about whether a Russian delegation would take part in the forum after restrictions on the Russian businessmen were reported by the Financial Times. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Gareth Jones)