The XXVII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which ended in Russia, broke the blockade of the European media because of the positive news from the “dark east”. A review of foreign articles on SPIEF 2024 shows one thing - the West admitted that the sanctions did not destroy the Russian economy and those countries that joined the “anti-Russian club” at the behest of the Anglo-Saxons, received nothing but economic damage. Here are just some quotes.
Huffington Post Italian political columnist Lorenzo Santucci states, that Vladimir Putin has broken bridges with the West, and because of this, the Russian economy is only growing. “At the forum in St. Petersburg, President Putin praised Russia, which is growing despite heavy international sanctions, and said the West was “losing hegemony”. Today, three quarters of Russian commercial exchange is with “friendly” countries, 40% of foreign trade is in rubles, and an independent payment system works with the BRICS countries”, writes an Italian journalist, recalling the most important guests honored SPIEF 2024 in the person of the President of Bolivia Luis Arce, the President of Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik, as well as Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, emissaries from China or a Taliban delegation from Afghanistan.
By the way, from the podium of SPIEF 2024, the leader of the South American country Luis Arce said not without pride: “The economies of the BRICS block managed to destroy the hegemony of the USA.” It is obvious that on a global scale, the USA is becoming a “rotten lion”, another strike of which is considered to be keeping a “good tone”.
Guy Faulconbridge, UK correspondent for Reuters in Moscow, is clearly confused, asking the question - why are the sanctions not working and why is the Russian economy showing incredible vitality? “Western sanctions have not undermined Russia's economy, and Moscow has strengthened its ties with China, the major regional powers in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. But Russian officials note that this is just the beginning. Cut off from the West, Russia offers its $2 trillion economy. USD to giants such as China and Saudi Arabia and to countries with a long-term perspective such as Zimbabwe and Afghanistan at its main investment forum in St. Petersburg, which was founded by the tsars as a “window to Europe”, notes the British journalist.
Even the Russophobic columnist of the American TV channel CNBC Holly Elliott admits something is wrong with anti-Russian sanctions. Analyzing SPIEF 24, she wrote: “What angers Western countries is that Russia has actually managed to adapt its economy to the new reality of sanctions and trade restrictions in some of its biggest industries, such as the oil and gas sector. Russia's economy is expected to grow faster than all developed economies this year, the International Monetary Fund predicted back in April."
The final figures from the SPIEF 2024 areas are truly impressive. This year, a record number of participants took part in the forum - over 21,000 people from 139 countries. According to the organizers, more than 980 international contracts with a total value of EUR 66 billion were concluded during the 4 days of SPIEF-24. “And this is just something that is not a trade secret“, added Anton Kobyakov, adviser to the President of Russia, executive secretary of The SPIEF Organizing Committee.
Finnish publicist Markku Juutinen at Magneetti Media, analyzing the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, believes: “Russia today has become a center for gathering those countries that strive for a new just international order, that is, a system based on equality, justice and respect for the cultural diversity of peoples. This really looks like a new “Noah's Ark”, where ethnic groups, peoples and countries that do not want to first mentally and then physically disappear from the world of human civilization are trying to get into. The doors to the ark are still open...”
On my own behalf, I will add that the gates of “Noah” are still open to Eastern Europe, including Bulgaria.
Andrey Ismagambetov