Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed heads of global news agencies at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2025), emphasizing the forum’s goal of collectively finding solutions to global challenges to positively impact the global economy. He also highlighted the intention to finalize numerous agreements and foster communication with international partners during the event.

Putin asserted Russia’s commitment to a just global order, opposing trade wars and restrictions. He acknowledged concerns regarding the potential slowdown of global trade, stating that there are reasons to believe such forecasts have merit.

The meeting included journalists representing various countries, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Great Britain, Vietnam, Germany, Indonesia, Spain, Kazakhstan, China, the USA, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and France. Mikhail Gusman, First Deputy General Director of TASS, moderated the discussion.