Las Vegas: At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 being held here from January 5-8, Russian companies are not allowed to display their technology products because the country’s invasion of Ukraine, media reports said.
Gary Shapiro, head of Consumer Technology Association, which runs the event, said that Russia is “not welcome”, BBC reported.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, causing outrage in several countries around the world, and since then, the US, Canada, the EU, and many other countries have imposed sanctions on Russia.
“We did not welcome them this year given the political situation. We just didn’t feel it was appropriate,” Shapiro was quoted as saying, BBC reported.
“It wasn’t a matter of legal policy for the US, it’s a matter of our policy as an organisation,” he added.
Shapiro added that a few Russian companies asked to exhibit their products, according to the report.
“We said they could relocate to another country if they were interested,” Shapiro said.
Moreover, the report mentioned that the event has about a dozen Ukrainian technology companies, with many showcasing sustainability concepts.
The CES event started on Tuesday evening, but it officially opened on Thursday.
About 1,00,000 attendees are expected at CES 2023, where more than 3,000 exhibitors from around the world will showcase their new products, the report said.
–IANS