British politician Galloway appreciated the skill of Putin's speech

Russian leader Vladimir Putin is "head and shoulders above" the European political class. This was announced on June 5 by the head of the British Workers' Party, George Galloway, after the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"It was a master class. A master class that no European leader could or would even try to hold," he shared in an interview with RIA Novosti.

As the agency's interlocutor noted, this refers to one of the reasons why people would like to have a leadership that would take care of the interests of the country, "as Putin takes care of Russia."

Putin speaks at the SPIEF 2026 plenary session. Broadcast

On June 5, American journalist Christopher Helali noted that the session at the SPIEF 2026 planning meeting was extremely successful for the Russian leader, confirming the country's open position to cooperation. Uruguay's Minister of Agriculture Alfredo Fratti, in turn, noted that he was impressed by Putin's speech and the large number of countries represented at the SPIEF.

Putin's speech at the SPIEF 2026 plenary session on June 5 lasted 45 minutes and became one of the longest in the history of the forum. A similar timing of the Russian leader's speech was recorded five years ago. During the plenary session, the Russian leader pointed out that, despite the sanctions, the Russian economy is growing and developing. According to him, the poverty rate in Russia has already decreased to 6.7%, although it was planned to reach this figure only by 2030. The President stressed that macroeconomic indicators remain stable despite the ongoing external challenges. He also noted that the economic dynamics in Russia is currently restrained.