Forum people: which countries' delegations will definitely come to SPIEF 2026
Brazil, the Philippines, Mongolia and Laos will take part in SPIEF 2026, the diplomats of these states told Izvestia. It is known that official delegations from China and Saudi Arabia will also attend the forum. The Russian side is also awaiting the arrival of the heads of Egypt's economic departments, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko told Izvestia. A business dialogue between Russia and the United States is also planned. Experts believe that one of the main topics of discussion at the forum will be the stabilization of the oil market in the context of the war in Iran. AI, digitalization, cybersecurity, tourism, and trade development may also become important topics.
Which countries have confirmed their participation in SPIEF 2026
Diplomats from several countries have confirmed to Izvestia their participation in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which this year will be held from June 3-6. For example, Brazil is currently forming an official delegation.
"We have received an invitation to SPIEF 2026, but a decision on the composition of our delegation has not yet been made," the Embassy of the Republic in the Russian Federation told Izvestia. — There will be an official representative office, although we cannot yet confirm the size of our delegation or who will lead it — the special representative from Brazil or our ambassador in Moscow.
Brazil is Russia's key partner in Latin America. In 2025, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $10.9 billion. Moreover, a significant part of it came from the export of Russian fertilizers, which increased by 20% in 2024 alone. This fact was particularly noted at SPIEF 2025. Andrey Guryev, head of the Russian Association of Fertilizer Producers and Chairman of the Russia–Brazil Business Council, said at the time: "Cooperation between the two countries has formed a solid chain of agribusiness that ensures the food security of billions of people.
Asian countries have also expressed interest in business dialogue with Russia. For example, the Philippines also confirmed its participation in the SPIEF to Izvestia.
"We have received an official invitation to participate in SPIEF 2026,— the Embassy of the Republic in the Russian Federation emphasized. — We will definitely take part in the forum, but the specific composition of the delegation has not yet been determined.
In 2025, the Philippine Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Igor Bailen, attended the forum. He took part in a session on expanding cooperation between the EAEU and ASEAN. Representatives of Laos, an ASEAN member, who is going to attend this time, also participated in this session.
— I think so, because last year the forum was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister (Salemsai Kommasit. — Ed.), — the Ambassador of Laos to the Russian Federation, Siphandon Oibuabuddi, told Izvestia, answering the question of whether the republic's participation in the SPIEF is guaranteed.
Mongolia, Russia's long—time ally, also confirmed its participation.
"The official delegation will arrive, and it is still unknown who will lead it," the country's embassy in the Russian Federation told Izvestia.
Last year, the country participated not only in the SPIEF, but also in the WEF. During the Eastern Economic Forum, Vladimir Putin met with Prime Minister of Mongolia Gombozhavin Zandanshatar. The development of economic relations with Ulaanbaatar is very dynamic. For example, in June Mongolia and the EAEU signed a temporary free trade agreement, which allowed to expand the presence of Asian goods in the markets of the Union countries.
The Russian Embassy in Vietnam informed Izvestia that an invitation had been sent to the republic's authorities, but appointments to key government positions had not yet taken place. Therefore, Vietnam has so far refrained from making a decision on the SPIEF. In Thailand, a new prime minister was elected only on March 19, and the government was formed just a few days ago.
The diplomats also told Izvestia that the Russian side has sent invitations to Armenia, Indonesia, Mexico and Colombia, but these countries have not yet announced their decision.
There will probably be a Turkish delegation at the SPIEF. In any case, Russian diplomats expect a high-level representation from Ankara.
"The Turkish side has traditionally shown great interest in the SPIEF, which Ankara considers as one of the world's leading "platforms" for discussing key trends in the global economy, developing dialogue and business contacts. Last year, the forum was attended by a representative Turkish delegation led by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Turkey, Alparslan Bayraktar. We are confident that Turkey will be represented at the SPIEF at the proper level this year," the Russian Embassy told Izvestia.
Earlier it became known that an official Chinese delegation will arrive at the SPIEF. As the Chinese Ambassador to Russia, Zhang Hanhui, told Izvestia, it will be headed by a "high-ranking representative." China's participation in the SPIEF has already become a tradition that highlights the strategic nature of the partnership between Moscow and Beijing.
As the dialogue between Russia and the United States develops, of course, the participation of the American side is of particular interest. Just like last year, the Russian-American business dialogue will definitely take place at the forum, Robert Agee, head of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Russian Federation, told Izvestia earlier. According to him, the most likely topic will be the potential opportunities for cooperation between the companies of the two countries. At the same time, experts express skepticism about the arrival at the SPIEF of the official delegation of the United States, as well as EU countries. According to Candidate of Economic Sciences Mikhail Khachaturian, their presence is likely to be limited to individual, most courageous representatives of the business community.
What issues will be the focus of attention at SPIEF 2026
A delegation from Saudi Arabia will also attend the forum. The Kingdom will be a guest of the forum in honor of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Russia. There are plans to organize a stand of the country at the SPIEF, where its investment, export and tourism potential will be presented.
The presence of Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, may come in handy. The rise in oil prices amid the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has affected the whole world in one way or another, and the SPIEF may become a key platform for discussing the stabilization of the global fuel market.
"Of course, representatives of the Persian Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, will take part in SPIEF 2026 this year," said Petr Shcherbachenko, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.
The Middle East conflict has affected not only the Gulf States. Egypt, where, according to estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a serious food crisis may arise, also received an invitation.
— Invitations were sent to the heads of the economic block of the Egyptian government, heads of various commercial organizations in Egypt. So we expect that our Egyptian partners, as usual, will actively participate in the SPIEF," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko told Izvestia.
According to Mikhail Khachaturian, it is also worth waiting for substantive cooperation with OPEC+ member countries. Russia and other countries that face restrictions on traditional oil markets may discuss new routes through transit corridors in Asia, said Sergey Tolkachev, a visiting professor at the Belarusian State University of Economics. According to him, countries interested in stable supplies can look for ways to diversify energy sources.
"Russia definitely has something to offer in this area, taking into account the development of the Transarctic Transport Corridor and, in particular, the Northern Sea Route," said Konstantin Kuguchin, an economist and MGIMO representative. — And here the focus may be on Rosatom's recently announced partnership with one of the world's largest port operators, DP World from the UAE.
As Alexey Likhachev, the head of the state corporation, explained, the agreements imply investments in an ice-class cargo fleet and modern port infrastructure.
The issues of supply and regulation of the oil market will rather be considered as an element of the transformation of the global economy in the context of the formation of a multipolar world, Khachaturian added. And the key theme of the forum is the transformation of the global economy. According to Shcherbachenko, the forum will traditionally discuss international trade and logistics, in particular, the investment attractiveness of Russia. AI, cybersecurity, financial literacy, and tourism development will also become important topics, the expert emphasized.
Of course, the EAEU countries — Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan - will be represented at the forum. Among the Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia is interested in developing trade with Russia. Delegations from Latin American countries are likely to attend the forum. According to Peter Shcherbachenko, it is worth noting the always active participation of representatives of Africa, such as Ethiopia, Côte d'Ivoire and South Africa.
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