Back in July it was reported that Pamela Anderson reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting a lunch to discuss animal rights, and since then there was no apparent follow up on for any scheduling to sit down and talk things out.
Well, it turns out that Russia heard her loud and clear and invited the animal activist to a round-table discussion in the Kremlin on Monday.
Though Putin was unable to attend the event, Anderson did speak with Sergey Donskoy, the minister of natural resources and the environment, whom she had said was a suitable substitute if the president was tied up.
Anderson, who represented the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at the Kremlin discussions, told the RT: “We want to support Russia in any way we can. That was exciting to talk about [it] and it’s nice to hear about the great things that Russia’s doing for wildlife and wildlife conservation [both] in and outside of Russia.”
She added, “I like to go to the top, I like to go to the most powerful people.”
On her agenda, Anderson discussed the welfare of seals and mammals kept in captivity in sea aquariums.
“I think Russia has the power to end this practice worldwide,” she said, adding that by doing so and by “taking a leadership position on defending wildlife and the rights of animals,” the country “could really win over some hearts and minds in the West.”
In her letter from July, the “Baywatch” alum had mentioned Russia’s part in helping to remove the demand for seal pelts from Canada, writing that,”The Russian Federation has great influence and I’ve seen how decisions by Russia can have a positive and beneficial impact on the environment and the welfare of animals.”
Anderson alluded to the sentiment when she told RT that she feels “that in Russia things get done.” She continued, “Russia has proven to be a nation unafraid to take action where action is needed…Compassion for animals unites nations … and where Russia leads others will follow.”
For his part, Ivanov said Anderson is a welcome guest in Russia and called the meeting “unusual, but interesting.”
