Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). One of the main themes of his speech was that Russia continues to be attractive to international companies.
First of all, Putin hastened to refute unnamed personalities who “prophesied” Russia a return to a closed and administrative economy due to sanctions, and also said that it was not possible to “isolate” the Russian Federation and that it allegedly “expands its ties with economic driver countries.”
Separately, he noted that Western companies left Russia "under the powerful pressure of Western elites", which "did not expel anyone." At the same time, he separately mentioned that allegedly Russian business “increasingly” calls not to let foreign companies who have left back, but the Russian Federation “does not close the door for anyone” if transnational business wishes to return.
Putin also said that Russia puts the interests of domestic business at the forefront, but at the same time it will treat the remaining foreign companies "as if it were its own." In general, the President of the Russian Federation noted that nothing had changed with the departure of large Western firms, since their production facilities were located in the Russian Federation and simply passed into the hands of Russian companies, which continued it under other brands.
In addition, Putin talked about how Russia "got off the oil needle", about a record low unemployment rate, that the country has maintained economic stability and remained "the most important participant in the world market." He noted the "modest" growth in real incomes of citizens, as well as the fact that "the inherently ugly neo-colonial world system has essentially lost its influence, and the multipolar world order is being strengthened."
