Feb 20 (Reuters) - Encouraging foreign brands to return to Russia would be "ill-advised," according to the industry and trade ministry, which wants to champion domestic companies that have stepped in to fill the gaps left by departing Western counterparts.

More than a thousand companies, from McDonald's MCD.N to Mercedes-Benz MBGn.DE, left Russia in the last three years by selling, handing the keys to existing managers, or abandoning assets.

Others like Danone DANO.PA and Carlsberg CARLb.CO had their assets seized and a sale forced through.

But as Moscow and Washington discuss a path to end the war in Ukraine, one of the many questions on investors' minds is whether the corporate exodus from Russia, triggered by the February 2022 invasion of its neighbour, may be reversed.

"The Ministry of Industry and Trade considers it ill-advised to stimulate the return of foreign brands," it said in a statement to Reuters on Thursday.

"In the last three years, domestic companies have significantly increased their own production and actively occupied market niches vacated after the exit of foreign companies."

Russian businesses have been successfully importing requisite goods through indirect means, the ministry said, and its absolute priority was protecting domestic producers and the production of high-quality products on Russian soil.

French automaker Renault RENA.PA, which agreed a six-year buyback option when selling its majority stake in Russian carmaker Avtovaz in May 2022, on Thursday said the probability of activating its clause with Avtovaz was "very, very low."

"If any foreign company decides to return to the Russian market, then this issue should be considered on an individual basis," the ministry said.

(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Rachna Uppal)

((alexander.marrow@thomsonreuters.com;))