- Статьи
- Economy
- Important agreements: SPIEF started with a discussion on the future of media and the development of a multipolar world
Important agreements: SPIEF started with a discussion on the future of media and the development of a multipolar world
The development of BRICS, Russia's role in international institutions, and the impact of media content on future generations were among the key topics on the first day of SPIEF 2026. Despite the sanctions pressure, representatives of more than 130 countries, including delegations from the United States and Europe, attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The platform has once again become a space where economics, technology and politics are intertwined in a single conversation about the future. Technological projects of the regions, from AI systems and robotics to drones, were also presented at the SPIEF, and a number of cooperation agreements were signed, including in the field of communications and industrial development. You can find out what other topics the participants discussed and what business representatives expect from the forum in the Izvestia article.
How was the first day of the SPIEF
Thousands of participants from more than 130 countries, including China, Brazil, the Philippines, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Egypt and Laos, showed active interest in the main economic event of the year. For the first time in the last eight years, a delegation from the United States has arrived at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. It was headed by the head of the country's Commission on Fine Arts, Rodney Cook. The delegation from Germany became the largest among the European countries.
The stands of the regions and companies traditionally attracted special attention of the participants. So, Aeroflot designed its exposition in the form of an airplane cabin decorated with fresh flowers. An interactive AI tree capable of answering questions about the economy, industry, history and tourism potential of the region was presented at the Bashkiria stand. Tatarstan and the Moscow Region demonstrated developments in the field of robotics, while the Smolensk Region demonstrated reconnaissance drones, a robot for supplying units and laser tag equipment.
The program of the first day of the forum was opened by discussions on the development of BRICS, national identity, the use of artificial intelligence in creative industries and the role of Russia in the system of international institutions of collective management.
One of the central discussions of the first day of the forum was the session "Real and virtual space: a symbiosis of platforms for educating new generations." The participants discussed the impact of media content — from animation and cinema to social media — on young people, as well as the importance of monitoring its content. As the moderator of the session, Alexey Goreslavsky, General Director of the Internet Development Institute, noted, it is necessary to understand what motivates children and their parents to choose a media product that should not only entertain, but also educate. Svetlana Balanova, General Director of the National Media Group (NMG), told how to respond to the challenge and what to show to the younger generation.
— First of all, any content that we produce must be interesting. Secondly, to carry the right meanings and values. Thirdly, we must ensure that it is accessible at all points of contact where children may encounter the characters of the content," she explained.
As an example of a successful project, she cited the animated series "Three Cats", filmed by order of the CTC TV channel. According to her, in China alone, its views have already reached 5.5 billion.
— Russian content is increasingly in demand by both children and teenagers, as well as their parents. If it is of high quality, it gets widespread," Svetlana Balanova emphasized.
She also drew attention to the fact that NMG has become a trendsetter in that it makes helping tools (websites, psychologists, public organizations) for each of its media projects, which touch on acute social topics such as, for example, the TV series "Crybaby", which raised the problem of bullying at school.
— It is very important not to flirt with algorithms, giving people only what they want, so that the next generation does not face a big threat, — said Stepan Kovalchuk, Senior Vice president for media strategy and development of VK services.
According to him, it is beneficial for the VK platform to give children what they want — cartoons and bloggers, but it is important to understand that we have a social mission, so the task is not to roll them into this content, but to develop them. He noted that many social networks, such as TikTok, do not do this.
Another important SPIEF discussion was the session "Has the economy turned off the light at the end of the tunnel?". It was attended by foreign entrepreneurs who, despite the sanctions restrictions, have maintained their business in the Russian Federation.
— This world will not be monopolistic. We hope that it will be multipolar and less conflictual. Many businessmen from Europe, the USA and Turkey have stayed here and are working. Because Russia is the fourth largest economy in the world. She has everything to set up any production. The global agricultural market is largely determined by the Russian Federation," said Italian Antonio Fallico, president of the Let's Explore Eurasia Association.
On the first day of the SPIEF, a number of important agreements were concluded. For example, Denis Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Tatiana Polinko, Chairman of the Management Board of Bank ROSSIYA, and Sergey Mordasov, CEO of Miranda Media, signed a cooperation agreement. Tatiana Polinko stressed that this will support the economic growth of the region. The head of the DPR explained that the agreement is aimed at developing mobile broadband Internet and providing residents with affordable connectivity. Sergey Mordasov added that Miranda-Media intends to make significant investments in the republic.
In addition, a number of other agreements were concluded. For example, Russian Railways has signed contracts with four operator companies, and St. Petersburg has signed an agreement to create a cluster of unmanned systems with the participation of six regions of the Northwest. In addition, contracts were signed by the Moscow Region (production of gas boilers and refrigerated trailers), the Krasnodar Territory (three agreements worth 9 billion rubles), the Leningrad Region (projects in the metal and glass industry), the Crimea and South Ossetia.
What are the government and business expectations from SPIEF
Roman Chekushov, State Secretary and Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, highly appreciated the willingness to engage in dialogue between business and government at the forum.
"Today is the first day of the forum, but it can already be noted that it has become a stable platform for discussing not only current legislative initiatives, business initiatives, and the development of various projects, but also a platform for discussing a strategic vision for the future of entire industries," he told Izvestia.
According to him, one of the main topics was the development of the retail industry for five to seven years, the interaction of offline and online sales channels, as well as the expansion of the use of digital services for citizens. In addition, the important topics of the forum, according to him, were regional development, industrial cooperation between the subjects of the Russian Federation and between countries.
— It is good and convenient that all persons who make decisions on certain key issues, including investment projects, are represented on the forum site. Therefore, we can say that the first day of the forum was very successful. I am sure that at the forum we will be able to discuss and agree on specific steps for economic development," Roman Chekushov emphasized.
We look forward to a lively dialogue from the forum and the opportunity to discuss the most pressing issues of business development in conjunction with the regions, Wildberries founder and RVB head Tatiana Kim told Izvestia.
— This is a priority for us: We work closely with the regions not only on the development of logistics and warehouse infrastructure, but also in the social sphere, for example, in projects on demography. Therefore, we will sign agreements with several entities at the forum," she explained.
According to her, a separate area will be the support of entrepreneurship.
"Our Growth Platform project has already brought together more than 1,500 brands across the country, and we are seeing excellent results: local manufacturers are getting an impetus for development, and the regional economy is gaining new growth points," explained Tatiana Kim.
For us, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is primarily a place where we can openly and to the point talk about what is really important for business and for the regions, said Igor Zimin, Vice President for Government Relations at Ozon.
He also noted that the regional agenda is particularly important.
- Eight out of 10 of our entrepreneurs live in the regions of Russia, and every day we see how infrastructure development helps people make shopping more convenient and accessible. According to the results of the first quarter of 2026, every third order was delivered to settlements with a population of less than 50 thousand. A human being," the business representative explained, noting that discussions on regional development, logistics, and new opportunities for local businesses were especially valuable at the forum.
The SPIEF is a conversation about the future of the Russian economy in a broad sense, and trade occupies a special place on this agenda, as it is one of the largest employers and the most important investors in logistics, digital solutions and customer infrastructure, the chairman of the Association of Omnichannel Retail Companies (ACORT) told Izvestia Stanislav Bogdanov.
He also stressed that retail is the main channel of manufacturers' access to the market and one of the basic mechanisms for maintaining social stability through price and physical accessibility of goods, that is, a social partner of the state. According to him, it is no coincidence that ACORT is moderating a session at the forum on what the national trading model should become in an environment where online and offline have long merged into a single space of choice, purchase and delivery for the buyer.
— Trading has already become omnichannel: both retail chains and digital platforms are parts of a single ecosystem in which the buyer freely switches between online and offline. It will no longer be possible to perceive them as two separate industries living by different rules. Last year, for the first time, the share of digital platforms in online food trading, which is the fastest growing segment of the market, equaled retail chains, and this requires a balanced balance in regulation," Stanislav Bogdanov drew attention.
According to him, a year ago at the SPIEF, the president instructed to develop a new model for regulating trade, taking into account the growing role of digital platforms. The adoption of the law on the platform economy was only the first step in this direction, while the tasks of forming a comprehensive regulatory strategy are much broader. It is important that the rules work for the development of the market and preserve the price and physical accessibility of goods for consumers.
Boris Listov, Chairman of the Board of Rosselkhoznadzor, told Izvestia that he expects the forum to confirm the main trend: the Russian agricultural sector has already ensured food security, is developing faster than many other industries and is ready to fully enter the capital market.
— Today, the revenue of the agro-industrial complex is comparable to the largest public industries, but the share of public companies in the sector and the volume of organized grain trading has great potential. Therefore, the key issue that we are raising at SPIEF 2026 is how to create a transparent pricing and investment attraction infrastructure," explained the representative of the agricultural banking sector. — We also expect the forum to discuss how to accelerate the transformation — through the development of organized trading, stimulating initial public offerings of companies or the introduction of new financial instruments. We are confident that the forum will become the starting point when the agricultural sector begins to be perceived as a full-fledged investment front of the economy.
Evgeny Minchenko, President of the Minchenko Consulting communications holding, believes that the forum has become an effective platform for dialogue between business and government. According to him, the forum participants actively interact not only within the framework of the official program, but also during informal communication on the sidelines. At the same time, the most important event of the forum will be the speech of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose significance will be comparable to the message to the Federal Assembly.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
