— The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is a flagship project of the Roscongress Foundation that draws thousands of participants every year and serves as the key venue for discussing further development plans for the Russian Far East and the Arctic zone. What are your expectations for this year's forum? Which issues will be central, and what effect do you expect from discussing them? Are you expecting a rise in the number of participants, in particular from foreign countries?
— This year the forum's main slogan is ‘The Far East — Development for the Good of the People.’ The scale of our country is felt especially strongly in the Far East, and the region calls for particular attention today. The Asia-Pacific region is now the center of the world economy — everyone acknowledges that already. That is why the Far East must become Russia's main export-import gateway, a key trade and logistics hub, and a territory of advanced development in every sense of the word. But the economy is, first and foremost, about people. Technology, production methods, digital tools, logistics, and innovative products only take on meaning when they directly improve people's quality of life and well-being.
All the thematic tracks of the forum's business program are built around exactly this philosophy: ‘Living and Working in the Far East,’ ‘Mechanisms for Attracting Private Investment,’ ‘Logistics and Infrastructure for Economic Growth,’ and ‘Technology of Today and Tomorrow.’ A very substantial international agenda is covered by a series of sessions grouped under ‘The Far East — A Pole of International Cooperation.’ Those are all the key themes.
More than 70 sessions are planned in total. There will also be a number of accompanying events — the Creative Industries Forum, the ‘Day of the Future’ Youth Forum, the ‘Day of the Falcon’ International Forum, and the SME Forum. Business dialogues with entrepreneurs from China, India, the United Arab Emirates, Mongolia, Vietnam, and the ASEAN countries will also take an important place.
Of course, special attention is always paid — and always drawn — to the Russian President's address at the plenary session. Watch for it. There will be many important statements. And naturally, the West would do well to pay close attention to the head of state's remarks.
— Is there interest among foreign companies from unfriendly countries in taking part in the EEF? If so, which countries and which companies?
— Interest is traditionally strong. Above all, it comes from Asia-Pacific countries, some of which are formally classified as unfriendly. That said, there are also European businesspeople and companies involved.
Specific figures and facts on individual businesspeople or countries are a somewhat relative matter. Many Western companies have long been operating as, in effect, Russian ones. Some businesses, under informal arrangements with their own governments, keep working in Russia while trying to avoid drawing the attention of Russophobes in their home countries. Some of the countries classed as unfriendly simply cannot afford to argue with the Anglo-Saxon world over sanctions policy. They are formally part of the unfriendly bloc, but in essence they simply have no choice.
— Can you announce the arrival of any prominent foreign guests at the EEF? Is there a chance we might see a delegation from Japan or representatives from the United States there?
— As I noted above, the EEF is a prominent and important event on the international business agenda — participation in it makes its way onto the schedules of high-ranking officials, and members of the business community plan their meetings in Vladivostok around it. Interest keeps growing every year. Let me remind you that in 2025 the forum drew roughly 8,000 participants from 75 countries and territories. This year's EEF will again bring together a large number of business and government representatives from other countries. Delegations from Japan, China, Bangladesh, India, the UAE, and others have already confirmed their participation. This list is not final — as always, we will sum up the results once the forum concludes.
— The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) can certainly be called the largest event organized by the Roscongress Foundation. This year, for the first time in several years, a delegation from the United States took part in SPIEF. In your view, what accounts for SPIEF's success, and what practices allow it to attract more and more participants every year?
— It's always a combination of several factors: proper organization and promotion, but also genuine interest in the country and its global agenda. Can you imagine a well-organized event, generally speaking, in another country? Of course. But it's hard to imagine the kind of interest SPIEF generates arising today for a similarly focused forum in Western Europe, or even in the United States. Take Davos, for instance — it drew guests from 130 countries, which is a more modest geographic reach than SPIEF's, even though Davos positions itself as the world's foremost business and media event.
A well-run forum is always a combination of several factors. In particular, SPIEF is:
• An engaging program. There is no important issue in the world that isn't discussed as part of SPIEF's business program. And getting the global agenda right is very painstaking, difficult work.
• Interesting speakers, participants, and guests.
• A separate, major factor behind the forum's success and appeal is the plenary session with the President of Russia and the leaders of other states. The whole world always awaits our president's remarks — his words are usually the top news story in many countries. And leaders of other nations don't come to Russia and take part in SPIEF for no reason — for them and their countries, it matters and it carries prestige.
• SPIEF and the EEF are places for dialogue between business and government — and that's not just a phrase. An entrepreneur can typically meet the official or minister they need right there at the forum, speak with them — even briefly, in passing — and still get their issue, proposal, or problem noticed. Often, in just a few days at SPIEF or the EEF, people manage to hold as many useful meetings as they wouldn't manage in half a year of ordinary life, even in Moscow.
• Companies get the chance to showcase their products and tell their story by setting up a stand.
• For the media, it offers convenient, concentrated access to the business figures they're interested in — plus a wealth of topics, news, and events, that is, top-tier content.
• The forum is a reflection of the country's economy. Over the course of a few days, you find yourself immersed in both its problems and its successes. You see how other countries regard it.
The list could go on. But there's something else worth noting: everything listed above requires proper organization. Roscongress's expertise in these matters is unique. And that, too, is part of the success.
— Forum activity is developing actively in Russia today, allowing important topics for the country's development to be discussed in a dialogue — or rather, a polylogue. Which Russian cities do you consider most promising for hosting major international events?
— Let's look at it differently. If a region wants to be a place where topics important for the country's and the world's development are discussed, it needs the necessary infrastructure for that. Like the Olympics or the World Cup, a major forum requires certain conditions, but it also delivers a strong return. Congress and exhibition activity is, after all, part of a region's economy. For four or five days, the host city draws the finest of the country's small, medium, and large businesses, the government, and foreign guests. And for local businesses, those four or five days sometimes bring in one or two months' worth of revenue — restaurants, transport companies, hotels, and many other small and medium-sized businesses. Regional authorities spruce up and prepare the city to receive guests. In other words, a region or city needs to understand why it wants a forum and what it will get out of it. Geography matters too, of course — it would be odd to hold an eastern forum in St. Petersburg, say, or an Arctic one in Sochi. On the whole, many cities that have gone through a solid ‘school’ of organizing major international events are potentially ready to host a forum. After that, it's a matter of working out the details...
— With the tightening of Western sanctions, have the organizing committees of traditional international events held in our country faced foreign entrepreneurs declining to take part in the upcoming Russian Energy Week? Which foreign company executives have already confirmed their participation? Will there be representatives from EU countries and from the United States?
We noted a long time ago that Western sanctions only heighten interest in business communication, since at thematic events executives and company representatives can meet their counterparts from more than 100 countries around the world. Recall how, even under President Biden, the State Department sent directives around the world telling people not to come to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. That multiplied interest in the forum many times over — you couldn't have devised better advertising. It's like the hunt for foreign goods in Soviet times: the tighter the restrictions, the more prestigious it was to bring something back from abroad. Now we've traded places with them. Getting into a forum in Russia is becoming an important, prestigious challenge for many foreigners.
Something is also shifting politically among the major international players. This summer, for instance, US President Trump personally sent his own representative to SPIEF 2026 — Rodney Cook, chairman of the US Commission of Fine Arts. As we noted at the time, it was an elegant move. Everyone understands that honest dialogue is needed. Roscongress's venues are the ideal place for that.
The substance of such a dialogue is another matter. Today the United States is the world's largest oil producer, and one of its largest exporters. Everyone knows how it rose to those leading positions — it was both a technological revolution in extraction and geopolitical maneuvering.
They are developing their gas industry and, unlike Europe, have not abandoned nuclear energy. It's clear they're too important a player on the energy market not to have things to discuss with.
Europe, although it still produces oil in the North Sea, is seeing output decline. It imports most of its gas. Europe has essentially abandoned nuclear power — the only remaining nuclear plants are in France and in a couple of Eastern European countries, and even those exist thanks to our country. Renewable energy? Leadership in that field has now shifted to China... The scope for an equal dialogue on this front with Europe is shrinking considerably.
— Are there plans to discuss cooperation within the forums with the head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and the Association of European Businesses?
— We know that the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, like the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, cooperates with the American Chamber of Commerce in the Russian Federation on a regular basis — it was precisely as a result of this cooperation, with the support of the Roscongress Foundation, that this past summer's SPIEF included two sessions devoted to US-Russia business dialogue. On the whole, representatives of European and American business associations have not broken off their contacts and work with the Russian business community. As noted above, this is an important and effective channel for dialogue with business from these countries. Everyone understands that.
— How many leaders and heads of government in total are we expecting at the Russia-Africa summit in October 2026? Will President Vladimir Putin hold a marathon of bilateral meetings with the heads of delegations? What are we expecting from this summit overall?
— Let me point out that this will be the third time the Russia-Africa summit is held in Russia (note: the summits take place once every three years). An Economic and Humanitarian Forum runs alongside the leaders' meeting. This year the forum's slogan will be ‘Developing Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and the Potential of Every African Country Together.’ The event has a strongly applied economic character, since sector-specific agreements are concluded there and the results of ongoing projects are summed up.
What do we expect from the summit? We expect a deepening and strengthening of relations with the countries of the African continent. Africa is a large market — we have always been welcomed there, and we're glad that remains true today.
I would also note the tremendous interest Russian business has in cooperating with Africa.
What matters more is that our African friends traditionally see in Russia a power that, in today's unstable world, is associated with reliability and fairness. Our relations there have always been mutually beneficial, pragmatic, and honest. Russia did not colonize Africa, did not drain it of its resources, and did not kill millions of defenseless people as part of a colonial policy. On the contrary, Russia brought culture, science, and technology to the continent's young states. During the Cold War, we helped many of them fight for independence. Africans studied at our best universities. Today, together with many countries on the continent, we're ready to continue those good traditions. That, broadly speaking, is the summit's agenda.
— Valentina Matviyenko recently pointed to an excessive number of forums and proposed, first, reducing their number and, second, moving many of them from an annual to a less frequent format. Her proposal was supported by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Has this proposal been heard in the Kremlin? Is there a ‘revision’ list of forums at this point?
— It should be noted that most congress and exhibition events in the country are held to advance the national development goals. Forums play an important role in developing dialogue between the state, society, and business. This is an effective channel and a standalone instrument of ‘second-track’ diplomacy, of communication with the outside world, and, on the whole, an effective mechanism of ‘soft power.’ As a result of the events held in the country, high-level representatives from more than 160 states take part every year.
Forum activity brings a powerful, positive agenda into the information space and gives society a picture in which our future is in our own hands, with the state's efforts aimed at improving citizens' quality of life.
— When Russia was ‘excommunicated’ from major international cultural, sporting, and economic events such as Eurovision, the Davos Forum, world championships, and even the Olympics, we began developing our own alternatives — Intervision, the BRICS Games, and so on. Should we keep moving in this direction, or should the priority instead be returning to established international formats? For example, do we need to go back to Eurovision? And will Intervision continue, given that nothing has been heard about a new edition for a long time?
— Our President has given a comprehensive assessment of this situation. For us, the priority is preserving and building on our national sport's winning traditions. Step by step, our athletes are methodically returning to the world stage, proving their mastery through their results. Sixteen international Olympic federations have already restored Russians' right to compete under their own flag and anthem. Tellingly, it was the International Judo Federation that took the lead here — their decision was announced last year at the ‘Russia — A Sporting Power’ forum, which is evolving into a key dialogue platform for the entire global sporting community. Last year the forum's proceedings brought together heads of government sports authorities and national Olympic committees from 56 countries. The development of international cooperation in sport is also traditionally discussed at SPIEF and the EEF.
As for participation in various cultural events — many of which today only very loosely qualify as ‘cultural’ — let me offer a strictly personal view.
First, taking part in Eurovision today is simply shameful. This circus has nothing to do with art or culture — it's more of a mirror reflecting the agony of Western European civilization. And it's doubly comical that, having slammed the door on Russia, the organizers keep holding out their hand for money to our media corporations all the same. Alternatives like Intervision today are not merely possible — they're in demand. Too many people are tired of the theatrical shamelessness Eurovision's organizers put on display.
Second, we will of course return to the Olympics in full. What matters to fans and to the country is that athletes remember that the Games are not only ‘the biggest competition of their lives,’ but, above all, an opportunity to represent their homeland with dignity. At the same time, taking part in the Olympics doesn't stand in the way of holding the BRICS Games. There's every reason the SCO could have its own Games as well — it's a matter of athletes' schedules and countries' organizational capacity.
Third, saying that Russia was ‘excommunicated’ from events like Davos is not accurate. Russia does not take part in the World Economic Forum's official program — that is our own conscious choice. And do we even need it right now? What's the point of taking part in the work of structures that have no interest in taking your opinion into account? Under the current circumstances, even wanting to get in there is, first and foremost, disrespect toward ourselves. The Davos Forum is not the Olympics or Eurovision. Whether to be there or not is entirely our own choice.
Furthermore, Russia is consistently building a multipolar architecture in which every power's voice carries weight and significance. But where our interests are systematically ignored and our arguments go unheard, our very presence loses all meaning. This is not a matter of ambition but of effectiveness: going where no one is prepared for an equal conversation means wasting resources. The decision remains ours, and it should be driven not by short-term expediency but by strategic purpose.
— Is it difficult to arrange for foreigners from unfriendly countries to attend events in Russia? Is there any positive effect from the way they share their impressions of the trip back home — as, for instance, Tucker Carlson or Candace Owens have done? Can it be said that Western propaganda is losing its effectiveness and that the trend of vilifying Russia is on the decline?
There are always a great many representatives of foreign states at our traditional venues. The Roscongress Foundation regularly reports on this through its own channels and promptly sums up the results of every event it organizes.
This year SPIEF drew 24,500 participants from 142 countries. According to the UN, there are 195 states in the world — meaning representatives of three-quarters of all the world's countries are eager to come to Russia for one of the year's major business events. Is it difficult to arrange for foreign guests to come? If anything, it's difficult to satisfy all the applications to attend. And that's despite the fact that the Western propaganda machine has many far-reaching tentacles.
Everyone knows how the Western information space works today. There are major global media outlets that shape the agenda and control it. News is often invented and deliberately planted. Later, some of it gets debunked, but the old principle still works: ‘the silverware was found, but the suspicion remains.’ They operate on a ‘toss out a dead cat and let others pick it up’ model. It's a perpetual-motion machine — that's why their propaganda will always keep running and won't fade away on its own. But these mechanisms always need to be met with a counter-game of our own.
When Tucker Carlson or Candace Owens talk about Russia, they're essentially stating the obvious, yet somehow it comes across as discovering a whole new world: that Russia is safe, that our transport is reliable and clean, and that our shops sometimes offer a wider range of goods than American ones do. That, of course, has an effect — much like the effect that comes from people networking at a forum, forming new business and personal ties. It's one of the tools of that same ‘soft power.’
In this sense, congress and exhibition activity, combined with proper work in the information space, produces a cumulative effect. Other tools Roscongress uses as a development institution are also worth mentioning — above all, our analytical work. As a ‘think tank,’ Roscongress is already well known to our Chinese, Indian, and Arab colleagues, as well as to a number of European partners. We offer new ways of thinking, make forecasts that prove highly accurate, and look at events unfolding in the world from a different angle. Many processes become clearer as a result. That, too, is part of the effort to counter their propaganda — because work in the information space isn't limited to news alone. Their narratives can only be countered by other narratives — in this case, our own. And producing them is a skill in its own right.
— Is there already an exact date for the Russia-Arab summit? What does Moscow expect from this event? How is the work of inviting leaders proceeding?
— Contacts between Russia and the leaders of Arab countries never cease — multifaceted cooperation with the Arab world is developing and expanding at every level and stage. We will certainly announce the specific dates once all the conditions have been put in place. We expect a substantial economic event to be held ‘on the sidelines’ of the summit. For now, we are discussing the implementation of specific projects covered by agreements signed at the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and Russian Energy Week.
— Based on your own statistics, can you name countries where business and the intelligentsia continue their relations with the Russian Federation despite the position of their own political elites?
— Businesspeople from virtually every country in Europe. And yes, they don't even hide it. You only need to look at the last four or five forums in St. Petersburg and Vladivostok.
Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Britain, Switzerland, Spain — there's no point listing every country; I've just named the notable economies of the Old World. We already spoke about Americans earlier. Many of them are either planning to obtain second citizenship or have already become Russian citizens.
If it really were just a matter of their ‘political elites'’ position, it wouldn't stop them at all. It gets to the point where banks in their own countries freeze accounts for the mere fact of continuing to work with us. Some businesses are stripped of state support. Some are threatened with problems for their business. And what's both funny and underhanded at the same time is that, behind closed doors, politicians from certain Russophobic countries say the exact opposite of their own public declarations — specifically, that ‘now is exactly the time to build relations and enter the Russian market.’ That, for instance, is what Macron tells his own business community. And the logic is clear: those who enter, as financiers put it, ‘at the bottom of the market,’ reap the biggest profits. But how are you supposed to trust leaders like that? That's the real question. How is their own business supposed to behave? One can even feel a certain sympathy for honest European businesspeople...
— As the President has stated, Russia has nothing against the return of Western business, but there will be conditions. Do we really need it? And are there areas where we're prepared to welcome Western business back without conditions?
— The question isn't so much whether we need it or not. The question is: on what terms?
Throughout its entire history, Russia has never shut itself off from the world. Attempts were constantly made to cut it off from technology and the world's best practices — that has certainly happened. More than that, sanctions, restrictions, embargoes, blockades, an ‘iron curtain’ — this has been a permanent process for the West. Only rarely, usually after wars, once fear — and with it, respect for us — returned to our ‘partners,’ would a certain period of business convergence set in.
It's also worth understanding that private business has always, in fact, wanted to work with Russia. Specialists, traders, and all kinds of skilled professionals came to Russia, opened up trade routes, and brought their knowledge with them — under Ivan IV, under Peter I, under Catherine II, and under Stalin alike. Many today forget, for example, how eager US business was to work in the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s. There were no diplomatic relations with the United States until as late as 1933, yet American business was already here.
No country wants to build autarky of its own free will. Competition is necessary — it only makes the country and our companies stronger. The best management practices, the best technologies — we need it all! And how do you get that technology? The President isn't saying there will be different terms for no reason. We no longer want to be doing screwdriver assembly of some component of their product here at home. We've understood that and moved past it. What's more, a good alternative has emerged in the East.
Setting up joint ventures with technology transfer — by all means. Setting up concessions? Possibly. Inviting the specialists we need — absolutely. Jointly developing complex, capital-intensive processing — we'd be glad to! Working together on fundamental and applied science, including in the corporate segment, on equal terms — that is, on a win-win basis — we're always ready for that. Those are the simple conditions and directions. Nothing but pragmatic partnership.
— This year the forum's main slogan is ‘The Far East — Development for the Good of the People.’ The scale of our country is felt especially strongly in the Far East, and the region calls for particular attention today. The Asia-Pacific region is now the center of the world economy — everyone acknowledges that already. That is why the Far East must become Russia's main export-import gateway, a key trade and logistics hub, and a territory of advanced development in every sense of the word. But the economy is, first and foremost, about people. Technology, production methods, digital tools, logistics, and innovative products only take on meaning when they directly improve people's quality of life and well-being.
All the thematic tracks of the forum's business program are built around exactly this philosophy: ‘Living and Working in the Far East,’ ‘Mechanisms for Attracting Private Investment,’ ‘Logistics and Infrastructure for Economic Growth,’ and ‘Technology of Today and Tomorrow.’ A very substantial international agenda is covered by a series of sessions grouped under ‘The Far East — A Pole of International Cooperation.’ Those are all the key themes.
More than 70 sessions are planned in total. There will also be a number of accompanying events — the Creative Industries Forum, the ‘Day of the Future’ Youth Forum, the ‘Day of the Falcon’ International Forum, and the SME Forum. Business dialogues with entrepreneurs from China, India, the United Arab Emirates, Mongolia, Vietnam, and the ASEAN countries will also take an important place.
Of course, special attention is always paid — and always drawn — to the Russian President's address at the plenary session. Watch for it. There will be many important statements. And naturally, the West would do well to pay close attention to the head of state's remarks.
— Is there interest among foreign companies from unfriendly countries in taking part in the EEF? If so, which countries and which companies?
— Interest is traditionally strong. Above all, it comes from Asia-Pacific countries, some of which are formally classified as unfriendly. That said, there are also European businesspeople and companies involved.
Specific figures and facts on individual businesspeople or countries are a somewhat relative matter. Many Western companies have long been operating as, in effect, Russian ones. Some businesses, under informal arrangements with their own governments, keep working in Russia while trying to avoid drawing the attention of Russophobes in their home countries. Some of the countries classed as unfriendly simply cannot afford to argue with the Anglo-Saxon world over sanctions policy. They are formally part of the unfriendly bloc, but in essence they simply have no choice.
— Can you announce the arrival of any prominent foreign guests at the EEF? Is there a chance we might see a delegation from Japan or representatives from the United States there?
— As I noted above, the EEF is a prominent and important event on the international business agenda — participation in it makes its way onto the schedules of high-ranking officials, and members of the business community plan their meetings in Vladivostok around it. Interest keeps growing every year. Let me remind you that in 2025 the forum drew roughly 8,000 participants from 75 countries and territories. This year's EEF will again bring together a large number of business and government representatives from other countries. Delegations from Japan, China, Bangladesh, India, the UAE, and others have already confirmed their participation. This list is not final — as always, we will sum up the results once the forum concludes.
— The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) can certainly be called the largest event organized by the Roscongress Foundation. This year, for the first time in several years, a delegation from the United States took part in SPIEF. In your view, what accounts for SPIEF's success, and what practices allow it to attract more and more participants every year?
— It's always a combination of several factors: proper organization and promotion, but also genuine interest in the country and its global agenda. Can you imagine a well-organized event, generally speaking, in another country? Of course. But it's hard to imagine the kind of interest SPIEF generates arising today for a similarly focused forum in Western Europe, or even in the United States. Take Davos, for instance — it drew guests from 130 countries, which is a more modest geographic reach than SPIEF's, even though Davos positions itself as the world's foremost business and media event.
A well-run forum is always a combination of several factors. In particular, SPIEF is:
• An engaging program. There is no important issue in the world that isn't discussed as part of SPIEF's business program. And getting the global agenda right is very painstaking, difficult work.
• Interesting speakers, participants, and guests.
• A separate, major factor behind the forum's success and appeal is the plenary session with the President of Russia and the leaders of other states. The whole world always awaits our president's remarks — his words are usually the top news story in many countries. And leaders of other nations don't come to Russia and take part in SPIEF for no reason — for them and their countries, it matters and it carries prestige.
• SPIEF and the EEF are places for dialogue between business and government — and that's not just a phrase. An entrepreneur can typically meet the official or minister they need right there at the forum, speak with them — even briefly, in passing — and still get their issue, proposal, or problem noticed. Often, in just a few days at SPIEF or the EEF, people manage to hold as many useful meetings as they wouldn't manage in half a year of ordinary life, even in Moscow.
• Companies get the chance to showcase their products and tell their story by setting up a stand.
• For the media, it offers convenient, concentrated access to the business figures they're interested in — plus a wealth of topics, news, and events, that is, top-tier content.
• The forum is a reflection of the country's economy. Over the course of a few days, you find yourself immersed in both its problems and its successes. You see how other countries regard it.
The list could go on. But there's something else worth noting: everything listed above requires proper organization. Roscongress's expertise in these matters is unique. And that, too, is part of the success.
— Forum activity is developing actively in Russia today, allowing important topics for the country's development to be discussed in a dialogue — or rather, a polylogue. Which Russian cities do you consider most promising for hosting major international events?
— Let's look at it differently. If a region wants to be a place where topics important for the country's and the world's development are discussed, it needs the necessary infrastructure for that. Like the Olympics or the World Cup, a major forum requires certain conditions, but it also delivers a strong return. Congress and exhibition activity is, after all, part of a region's economy. For four or five days, the host city draws the finest of the country's small, medium, and large businesses, the government, and foreign guests. And for local businesses, those four or five days sometimes bring in one or two months' worth of revenue — restaurants, transport companies, hotels, and many other small and medium-sized businesses. Regional authorities spruce up and prepare the city to receive guests. In other words, a region or city needs to understand why it wants a forum and what it will get out of it. Geography matters too, of course — it would be odd to hold an eastern forum in St. Petersburg, say, or an Arctic one in Sochi. On the whole, many cities that have gone through a solid ‘school’ of organizing major international events are potentially ready to host a forum. After that, it's a matter of working out the details...
— With the tightening of Western sanctions, have the organizing committees of traditional international events held in our country faced foreign entrepreneurs declining to take part in the upcoming Russian Energy Week? Which foreign company executives have already confirmed their participation? Will there be representatives from EU countries and from the United States?
We noted a long time ago that Western sanctions only heighten interest in business communication, since at thematic events executives and company representatives can meet their counterparts from more than 100 countries around the world. Recall how, even under President Biden, the State Department sent directives around the world telling people not to come to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. That multiplied interest in the forum many times over — you couldn't have devised better advertising. It's like the hunt for foreign goods in Soviet times: the tighter the restrictions, the more prestigious it was to bring something back from abroad. Now we've traded places with them. Getting into a forum in Russia is becoming an important, prestigious challenge for many foreigners.
Something is also shifting politically among the major international players. This summer, for instance, US President Trump personally sent his own representative to SPIEF 2026 — Rodney Cook, chairman of the US Commission of Fine Arts. As we noted at the time, it was an elegant move. Everyone understands that honest dialogue is needed. Roscongress's venues are the ideal place for that.
The substance of such a dialogue is another matter. Today the United States is the world's largest oil producer, and one of its largest exporters. Everyone knows how it rose to those leading positions — it was both a technological revolution in extraction and geopolitical maneuvering.
They are developing their gas industry and, unlike Europe, have not abandoned nuclear energy. It's clear they're too important a player on the energy market not to have things to discuss with.
Europe, although it still produces oil in the North Sea, is seeing output decline. It imports most of its gas. Europe has essentially abandoned nuclear power — the only remaining nuclear plants are in France and in a couple of Eastern European countries, and even those exist thanks to our country. Renewable energy? Leadership in that field has now shifted to China... The scope for an equal dialogue on this front with Europe is shrinking considerably.
— Are there plans to discuss cooperation within the forums with the head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia and the Association of European Businesses?
— We know that the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, like the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, cooperates with the American Chamber of Commerce in the Russian Federation on a regular basis — it was precisely as a result of this cooperation, with the support of the Roscongress Foundation, that this past summer's SPIEF included two sessions devoted to US-Russia business dialogue. On the whole, representatives of European and American business associations have not broken off their contacts and work with the Russian business community. As noted above, this is an important and effective channel for dialogue with business from these countries. Everyone understands that.
— How many leaders and heads of government in total are we expecting at the Russia-Africa summit in October 2026? Will President Vladimir Putin hold a marathon of bilateral meetings with the heads of delegations? What are we expecting from this summit overall?
— Let me point out that this will be the third time the Russia-Africa summit is held in Russia (note: the summits take place once every three years). An Economic and Humanitarian Forum runs alongside the leaders' meeting. This year the forum's slogan will be ‘Developing Mutually Beneficial Cooperation and the Potential of Every African Country Together.’ The event has a strongly applied economic character, since sector-specific agreements are concluded there and the results of ongoing projects are summed up.
What do we expect from the summit? We expect a deepening and strengthening of relations with the countries of the African continent. Africa is a large market — we have always been welcomed there, and we're glad that remains true today.
I would also note the tremendous interest Russian business has in cooperating with Africa.
What matters more is that our African friends traditionally see in Russia a power that, in today's unstable world, is associated with reliability and fairness. Our relations there have always been mutually beneficial, pragmatic, and honest. Russia did not colonize Africa, did not drain it of its resources, and did not kill millions of defenseless people as part of a colonial policy. On the contrary, Russia brought culture, science, and technology to the continent's young states. During the Cold War, we helped many of them fight for independence. Africans studied at our best universities. Today, together with many countries on the continent, we're ready to continue those good traditions. That, broadly speaking, is the summit's agenda.
— Valentina Matviyenko recently pointed to an excessive number of forums and proposed, first, reducing their number and, second, moving many of them from an annual to a less frequent format. Her proposal was supported by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Has this proposal been heard in the Kremlin? Is there a ‘revision’ list of forums at this point?
— It should be noted that most congress and exhibition events in the country are held to advance the national development goals. Forums play an important role in developing dialogue between the state, society, and business. This is an effective channel and a standalone instrument of ‘second-track’ diplomacy, of communication with the outside world, and, on the whole, an effective mechanism of ‘soft power.’ As a result of the events held in the country, high-level representatives from more than 160 states take part every year.
Forum activity brings a powerful, positive agenda into the information space and gives society a picture in which our future is in our own hands, with the state's efforts aimed at improving citizens' quality of life.
— When Russia was ‘excommunicated’ from major international cultural, sporting, and economic events such as Eurovision, the Davos Forum, world championships, and even the Olympics, we began developing our own alternatives — Intervision, the BRICS Games, and so on. Should we keep moving in this direction, or should the priority instead be returning to established international formats? For example, do we need to go back to Eurovision? And will Intervision continue, given that nothing has been heard about a new edition for a long time?
— Our President has given a comprehensive assessment of this situation. For us, the priority is preserving and building on our national sport's winning traditions. Step by step, our athletes are methodically returning to the world stage, proving their mastery through their results. Sixteen international Olympic federations have already restored Russians' right to compete under their own flag and anthem. Tellingly, it was the International Judo Federation that took the lead here — their decision was announced last year at the ‘Russia — A Sporting Power’ forum, which is evolving into a key dialogue platform for the entire global sporting community. Last year the forum's proceedings brought together heads of government sports authorities and national Olympic committees from 56 countries. The development of international cooperation in sport is also traditionally discussed at SPIEF and the EEF.
As for participation in various cultural events — many of which today only very loosely qualify as ‘cultural’ — let me offer a strictly personal view.
First, taking part in Eurovision today is simply shameful. This circus has nothing to do with art or culture — it's more of a mirror reflecting the agony of Western European civilization. And it's doubly comical that, having slammed the door on Russia, the organizers keep holding out their hand for money to our media corporations all the same. Alternatives like Intervision today are not merely possible — they're in demand. Too many people are tired of the theatrical shamelessness Eurovision's organizers put on display.
Second, we will of course return to the Olympics in full. What matters to fans and to the country is that athletes remember that the Games are not only ‘the biggest competition of their lives,’ but, above all, an opportunity to represent their homeland with dignity. At the same time, taking part in the Olympics doesn't stand in the way of holding the BRICS Games. There's every reason the SCO could have its own Games as well — it's a matter of athletes' schedules and countries' organizational capacity.
Third, saying that Russia was ‘excommunicated’ from events like Davos is not accurate. Russia does not take part in the World Economic Forum's official program — that is our own conscious choice. And do we even need it right now? What's the point of taking part in the work of structures that have no interest in taking your opinion into account? Under the current circumstances, even wanting to get in there is, first and foremost, disrespect toward ourselves. The Davos Forum is not the Olympics or Eurovision. Whether to be there or not is entirely our own choice.
Furthermore, Russia is consistently building a multipolar architecture in which every power's voice carries weight and significance. But where our interests are systematically ignored and our arguments go unheard, our very presence loses all meaning. This is not a matter of ambition but of effectiveness: going where no one is prepared for an equal conversation means wasting resources. The decision remains ours, and it should be driven not by short-term expediency but by strategic purpose.
— Is it difficult to arrange for foreigners from unfriendly countries to attend events in Russia? Is there any positive effect from the way they share their impressions of the trip back home — as, for instance, Tucker Carlson or Candace Owens have done? Can it be said that Western propaganda is losing its effectiveness and that the trend of vilifying Russia is on the decline?
There are always a great many representatives of foreign states at our traditional venues. The Roscongress Foundation regularly reports on this through its own channels and promptly sums up the results of every event it organizes.
This year SPIEF drew 24,500 participants from 142 countries. According to the UN, there are 195 states in the world — meaning representatives of three-quarters of all the world's countries are eager to come to Russia for one of the year's major business events. Is it difficult to arrange for foreign guests to come? If anything, it's difficult to satisfy all the applications to attend. And that's despite the fact that the Western propaganda machine has many far-reaching tentacles.
Everyone knows how the Western information space works today. There are major global media outlets that shape the agenda and control it. News is often invented and deliberately planted. Later, some of it gets debunked, but the old principle still works: ‘the silverware was found, but the suspicion remains.’ They operate on a ‘toss out a dead cat and let others pick it up’ model. It's a perpetual-motion machine — that's why their propaganda will always keep running and won't fade away on its own. But these mechanisms always need to be met with a counter-game of our own.
When Tucker Carlson or Candace Owens talk about Russia, they're essentially stating the obvious, yet somehow it comes across as discovering a whole new world: that Russia is safe, that our transport is reliable and clean, and that our shops sometimes offer a wider range of goods than American ones do. That, of course, has an effect — much like the effect that comes from people networking at a forum, forming new business and personal ties. It's one of the tools of that same ‘soft power.’
In this sense, congress and exhibition activity, combined with proper work in the information space, produces a cumulative effect. Other tools Roscongress uses as a development institution are also worth mentioning — above all, our analytical work. As a ‘think tank,’ Roscongress is already well known to our Chinese, Indian, and Arab colleagues, as well as to a number of European partners. We offer new ways of thinking, make forecasts that prove highly accurate, and look at events unfolding in the world from a different angle. Many processes become clearer as a result. That, too, is part of the effort to counter their propaganda — because work in the information space isn't limited to news alone. Their narratives can only be countered by other narratives — in this case, our own. And producing them is a skill in its own right.
— Is there already an exact date for the Russia-Arab summit? What does Moscow expect from this event? How is the work of inviting leaders proceeding?
— Contacts between Russia and the leaders of Arab countries never cease — multifaceted cooperation with the Arab world is developing and expanding at every level and stage. We will certainly announce the specific dates once all the conditions have been put in place. We expect a substantial economic event to be held ‘on the sidelines’ of the summit. For now, we are discussing the implementation of specific projects covered by agreements signed at the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and Russian Energy Week.
— Based on your own statistics, can you name countries where business and the intelligentsia continue their relations with the Russian Federation despite the position of their own political elites?
— Businesspeople from virtually every country in Europe. And yes, they don't even hide it. You only need to look at the last four or five forums in St. Petersburg and Vladivostok.
Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Britain, Switzerland, Spain — there's no point listing every country; I've just named the notable economies of the Old World. We already spoke about Americans earlier. Many of them are either planning to obtain second citizenship or have already become Russian citizens.
If it really were just a matter of their ‘political elites'’ position, it wouldn't stop them at all. It gets to the point where banks in their own countries freeze accounts for the mere fact of continuing to work with us. Some businesses are stripped of state support. Some are threatened with problems for their business. And what's both funny and underhanded at the same time is that, behind closed doors, politicians from certain Russophobic countries say the exact opposite of their own public declarations — specifically, that ‘now is exactly the time to build relations and enter the Russian market.’ That, for instance, is what Macron tells his own business community. And the logic is clear: those who enter, as financiers put it, ‘at the bottom of the market,’ reap the biggest profits. But how are you supposed to trust leaders like that? That's the real question. How is their own business supposed to behave? One can even feel a certain sympathy for honest European businesspeople...
— As the President has stated, Russia has nothing against the return of Western business, but there will be conditions. Do we really need it? And are there areas where we're prepared to welcome Western business back without conditions?
— The question isn't so much whether we need it or not. The question is: on what terms?
Throughout its entire history, Russia has never shut itself off from the world. Attempts were constantly made to cut it off from technology and the world's best practices — that has certainly happened. More than that, sanctions, restrictions, embargoes, blockades, an ‘iron curtain’ — this has been a permanent process for the West. Only rarely, usually after wars, once fear — and with it, respect for us — returned to our ‘partners,’ would a certain period of business convergence set in.
It's also worth understanding that private business has always, in fact, wanted to work with Russia. Specialists, traders, and all kinds of skilled professionals came to Russia, opened up trade routes, and brought their knowledge with them — under Ivan IV, under Peter I, under Catherine II, and under Stalin alike. Many today forget, for example, how eager US business was to work in the USSR in the 1920s and 1930s. There were no diplomatic relations with the United States until as late as 1933, yet American business was already here.
No country wants to build autarky of its own free will. Competition is necessary — it only makes the country and our companies stronger. The best management practices, the best technologies — we need it all! And how do you get that technology? The President isn't saying there will be different terms for no reason. We no longer want to be doing screwdriver assembly of some component of their product here at home. We've understood that and moved past it. What's more, a good alternative has emerged in the East.
Setting up joint ventures with technology transfer — by all means. Setting up concessions? Possibly. Inviting the specialists we need — absolutely. Jointly developing complex, capital-intensive processing — we'd be glad to! Working together on fundamental and applied science, including in the corporate segment, on equal terms — that is, on a win-win basis — we're always ready for that. Those are the simple conditions and directions. Nothing but pragmatic partnership.