SPIEF 2025: dates, program and participants, Putin's speech
The main economic event of the summer, the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, will start in a month. This year it will be held in the second half of June, but senior Russian and foreign politicians, entrepreneurs and experts have been preparing for the event for a long time. As of May, representatives of more than 92 countries and territories have confirmed their participation in this year's SPIEF. What will be the main topic of SPIEF 2025, how to get to the forum, as well as what the President of the Russian Federation can talk about in his speech - in the Izvestia article.
When and where will SPIEF 2025 take place
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) will be held for the 28th time in 2025. The event gathers heads of state, political leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world to discuss major global issues. Last year, 21.8 thousand representatives from 139 countries and territories came to the forum, and in 2023 — 17 thousand from 130 countries.
The SPIEF has been held since 1997. This time it will be held on June 18-21. The central topic of the discussion is "Shared values — the basis for growth in a multipolar world."
"For 27 years, the forum has gained the status of the world's leading platform for discussing key issues of the global economy, establishing cooperative ties, and exchanging the best international practices and competencies in order to ensure sustainable development," the SPIEF website says.
The main events of the forum will be held at the Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Center in St. Petersburg, 64/1 Peterburgskoe Shosse. It is one of the largest exhibition spaces in the city with a total area of 210 thousand square meters and a capacity of 30 thousand people. It is an hour's drive from the historical center of St. Petersburg and a 15-minute car ride from Pulkovo Airport.
A ticket to all the events of the SPIEF business and cultural program in 2025 will cost 1,485 million rubles, but there are more affordable options. For example, the SPIEF Event Participant package, which allows you to attend the forum only on June 18, costs 66 thousand rubles, and for sole proprietors and the self-employed, participation is possible for 25 thousand rubles. In addition, 25 authors of the most sought-after topics offered on a specially organized crowd platform will get to the SPIEF for free.
Shared values are the foundation of growth in a multipolar world: the significance of the SPIEF 2025 theme
The main theme of SPIEF 2025 is "Shared values — the basis for growth in a multipolar world." It is caused by global changes in the international situation. According to Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of Russia and Executive Secretary of the SPIEF Organizing Committee, in the current conditions, it is common values that are the basis for the development of constructive dialogue and interaction between the countries.
"Today's world is rapidly moving towards a system in which no country has a monopoly on decision-making, but instead new centers of power are being formed that can offer alternative models of cooperation. This requires not only new approaches to the global economy, but also the creation of interaction mechanisms based on trust, mutual benefit and transparency. In this context, the SPIEF is becoming a unique platform for developing strategies that meet the realities of the 21st century," explained Anton Kobyakov.
One of the main goals of the forum is to sign agreements with international partners. In 2024, 1,073 agreements worth more than 6.4 trillion rubles were concluded at the SPIEF, and in 2023 — 900 agreements worth 3.86 trillion rubles.
According to Dmitry Desyatnichenko, PhD in Economics, Head of the Economics educational program at the Presidential Academy in St. Petersburg, SPIEF is primarily a platform for concluding agreements.
— Contracts are prepared in advance, as part of a long and systematic work. They could be concluded in a working order. But to see all the allies and like—minded people at the same time, united to one degree or another by common, which is important, intangible values, is what ensures the format of such forums. For large businesses, scientists, politicians, and those who make and enforce significant decisions, the forum is a global networking tool," Dmitry Desyatnichenko told Izvestia.
Anton Kobyakov believes that SPIEF 2025 will become a key tool for developing new strategies to cope with global economic challenges.
SPIEF 2025: program and plenary sessions
There are several blocks in the business program of the forum:
— "The economics of development: ensuring growth" ("The world economy: a new platform for global growth" and "The Russian economy: a new quality of growth"),
— "A man in a new world",
— "Environment for life",
— "Technology: striving for leadership",
— "Business breakfasts" and "Business dialogues".
The first block will discuss the role and place of Russia and Eurasia in creating a multipolar economy, the possibility of future dialogues with Europe, further cooperation with BRICS, the orientation of the gas industry to the East, new rules for cross-border electronic commerce, the future of the international financial system, the role of the nuclear industry in global development, as well as new international trade routes and the formation of global infrastructure to combat fakes.
Among the topics in the Russian economy block:
"Development of long-term investment and savings tools for citizens as one of the key objectives of the development of the Russian financial market";
"The domestic automotive industry: between globalization and sovereign development";
"Reducing the regulatory and administrative burden as a condition for freedom of entrepreneurship, attracting investments and mutually beneficial cooperation";
"Made in Russia";
"The Russian online advertising market";
"The stock market on the way to growth: IPOs of state-owned companies and attracting foreign investors";
"The revival of new regions of Russia as a driver of economic growth";
"Development of Russian regions: partnership between government and business to achieve national goals".
In the "Man in the New World" block, SPIEF 2025 participants will talk about the shortage of personnel and the transformation of the labor market, the social responsibility of business, the new model of higher education, labor migration, demography and the role of the media.
Within the framework of the "Environment for Life", experts will consider the potential of Russia's land resources, the environmental agenda, the adaptation of expatriates, the development of territories through the creative economy, and the prospects for promoting domestic brands.
At the Technology: Striving for Leadership session, forum participants will discuss the development of neural networks, mechanical engineering, and drones, as well as new medical technologies and cybersecurity.
The General Assembly of the Organization of Asian and Pacific News Agencies and the international youth economic forum "Day of the Future" will also be held at SPIEF.
The Russian side will hold dialogues with representatives of China, Africa, Latin America, the United Arab Emirates, India, Indonesia, Armenia, Mongolia and other countries.
Participants of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2025
This year, representatives from more than 92 countries and territories will attend the SPIEF. According to Anton Kobyakov, the active participation of the countries of the Global South is particularly noticeable. This year, as never before, the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America are showing interest in the forum's agenda.
Dmitry Desyatnichenko suggests that in 2025, delegates from currently unfriendly countries will also be represented at the forum.
— The circle of friendly states is changing today. Now it is primarily Asia, the East, and Africa. But the forum's agenda leaves the doors open for those actors who, despite the general negative vector promoted by a number of countries unfriendly to Russia, share our values, principles of multipolarity and equality," the expert noted.
According to him, the doors are open in Russia for those who do not rely on the imposed hegemony in international relations, who are ready to participate in the implementation of mutually beneficial joint projects. Such participants, who came from unfriendly countries, were at the SPIEF earlier, and they will be in 2025.
— Big business from different countries has always sought to conclude economically profitable deals with Russia, as we have something to offer the world. And for Russia, this is an additional opportunity to attract investments, gain new competencies, suppliers, and sales markets," Dmitry Desyatichenko explained.
Oleg Alexandrov, Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations and Foreign Policy of Russia at MGIMO, says that the dialogue with Europe is frozen and there are no signs of an early thawing yet. Russia does not communicate with Europe as a whole, but with its individual countries, and it is hardly possible in any other way now.
SPIEF 2025 guest country, companies and forum visitors
The guest country at SPIEF 2025 was the Kingdom of Bahrain.
"In recent years, Russia and Bahrain have significantly strengthened economic cooperation, developing partnerships in key areas such as energy, high technology, logistics and tourism. The countries are actively working to expand trade and economic cooperation and create joint projects in various fields," Anton Kobyakov said.
Delegation from Oman, SPIEF, 2024
Oman was the guest country last year.
In total, representatives from 139 countries and territories came to SPIEF 2024. More than 120 high-ranking foreign officials participated in the events. The largest delegations in 2024 were from China (192 participants), the United Arab Emirates (105), Zimbabwe (86), Kazakhstan (84), India (80) and Oman (75). The Russian side was represented by 40 high-ranking officials, 30 heads of federal services and agencies, and 81 heads of the country's constituent entities.
Participants of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum – 2024 at the Moldavian Courtyard stand
SPIEF 2024 was also attended by more than 8,300 representatives of Russian (3,300 companies) and foreign businesses (480 companies from 94 countries and territories). The forum was also attended by China's leading automotive corporations and their Russian divisions. For the first time that year, key diamond industry companies from Africa and South Asia came to SPIEF.
A full list of guests, companies, and journalists is currently being compiled.
Putin's speech at SPIEF 2025: what the president might be talking about
Since 2006, the forum has been held under the patronage and with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2025, the head of state will also attend the SPIEF and deliver a speech.
President Vladimir Putin at the XXVII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, 2024
At the forum, the president usually talks about Russia's economic growth, business, international trade, and the economy in general. The head of state also gives an analysis of Russia's relations with other countries at the forum. In his speech last year, Putin drew attention to the significant strengthening of Russia's relations with countries in Asia and the Middle East, as well as with Africa and Latin America. In addition, he noted the quality of the labor market, the digital platform revolution, as well as the role of small and medium-sized businesses in economic development.
It is not yet known what the head of state will say this year. But experts suggest that at SPIEF 2025, the president will talk about the development of relations with other countries and about Russia's prospects as a reliable economic partner.
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