Russian President Vladimir Putin will address the 27th St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday with a speech on global politics and Russia's economic situation in times of sanctions.
At the annual meeting, the raw materials superpower aims to show it is defying the pressure of sanctions imposed as a result of the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine with comparatively high growth and innovations.
Putin is once again to answer questions on a podium, including about his war against Ukraine, which has been going on for more than two years.
Despite the restricted economic contacts, many entrepreneurs from Western countries are attending the forum, including from the United States and the European Union.
Western experts also point to the comparatively robust state of Russia's economy, even as it endures unprecedented financial sanctions and trade bans. A large part of the growth and the comparatively good consumer sentiment can be attributed to the massive ramp-up of the war economy.
Right at the start of the economic forum, which has been running since Wednesday and ends on Saturday, Russian politicians and entrepreneurs emphasized that the country was preparing for a long military conflict.
The war economy could shape the economy of the nuclear power for years to come, according to organizers of the forum.
