Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, President Vladimir Putin on Friday, June 16, 2023, lauded Russia’s prospects in spite of heavy international sanctions imposed as consequence of his country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The conference, which is sometimes compared to the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, has been Russia’s top event for luring foreign investment for decades.
Western officials and investors did not attend the economic forum, which began on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 and continues through to Saturday, June 17, 2023.
“We haven’t turned onto the self-isolation path. Quite the opposite,” Putin declared.
“We have widened contacts with reliable and responsible partners in the countries and regions that serve as the engine, the drivers of the world’s economy today. I’d like to reiterate: These are the markets of the future; everyone clearly understands it.”
Vladimir Putin
While one of the sessions listed in the program hailed Russia as a “global tech hub,” descriptions of other panels subtly acknowledged Moscow’s economic exclusion since its troops moved into Ukraine nearly 16 months ago.
Additionally, Putin vehemently defended Russia’s actions in Ukraine and repeated his claim that the Ukrainian government is a neo-Nazi regime, despite President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Jewish roots.
Although some Jewish organizations have praised Zelenskyy, Putin said, “My Jewish friends say that Zelenskyy is not a Jew, but a shame to the Jewish people.”
The Kremlin banned journalists from “unfriendly” countries from covering the proceedings. Moscow gave that designation on scores of countries that sanctioned Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, including the United States, Canada, European Union members and Australia.
Officials did not provide a list of the foreign businesses attending, but the program for the more than 100 panel discussions showed a marked majority of the speakers hailing from Russia.
Putin Confirms Deployment Of First Tranche Of Nuclear Weapons To Belarus
Putin confirmed that Russia has deployed its first tranche of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, a plan that was announced earlier. However, he gave an ambiguous assessment of Russia’s willingness to use them.
“Nuclear weapons are created to ensure our security in the broadest sense of the word and the existence of the Russian state. But we, firstly, do not have such a need,” Putin said.
However, he added, “Extreme means may be used if there is a threat to Russia’s statehood. In this case, we will certainly use all the forces and means that the Russian state has at its disposal.”
Putin also rejected the possibility of reducing Russia’s nuclear arsenal, saying, “We have more such weapons than the NATO countries. They know about it, and all the time we are being persuaded to start negotiations on reductions. The hell with them, you know, as our people say.”
Earlier this year, Putin announced the planned deployment of short-range nuclear weapons to Moscow’s neighbor and ally Belarus in a move widely seen as a warning to the West as it stepped up military support for Ukraine.
