Politico reported on the gathering of supporters by a member of the European Parliament for a trip to the SPIEF

European Parliament member Fernand Kartheiser is gathering supporters for a trip to Russia for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). This was reported by the Politico newspaper on May 7.

"Kartheiser <...> asks all interested EU deputies to contact his office directly about the trip, which will include a face—to-face meeting with members of the Russian State Duma on June 3," the publication says.

The message also promises help with finding housing, and personal invitations to the SPIEF will be sent later.

Kartheiser said it was only a matter of time before the EU's policy on dialogue with Russia changed. At the same time, he refused to name the legislators who expressed a desire to join the trip.

The first events of the SPIEF 2026 Petersburg Seasons Cultural Festival have become known

Vittorio Torrembini, President of the Association of Italian Entrepreneurs in Russia, announced on May 7 that the Italian business community would be widely represented at the SPIEF, despite pressure from the European Union (EU). The forum will be attended by about 5,000 people from Italy, including businessmen and experts.