The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum was attacked by Ukrainian drones at both its opening and closing, drawing attention from multiple parties.

British media: Both the opening and closing days of the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) were hit by Ukrainian drones, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky, becoming the most iconic image of this year’s forum. Russian officials acknowledged only "infrastructure damage" but did not disclose specific targets.

During the forum, Zelenskyy issued an open letter inviting the Russian president to hold face-to-face talks in a neutral country, yet his tone was firm and mocking, ridiculing the Russian leader’s age and military setbacks on the battlefield. In response, the Russian president rejected the proposal, citing "rude tone," stating there was "no need" for a meeting, and instead called on frontline soldiers to "continue fighting."

At the forum, the Russian president claimed "economic stability and development," but Russian economists generally described most sectors as stagnant or even in recession. Ongoing war and sanctions continue to exert pressure, interest rates remain high, and small business owners are suffering. Russia's special envoy for foreign investment admitted that "interest rates are too high," yet insisted that the Russian economy "has shown resilience."

Russia claimed that Rodney Mims Cook, chairman of the U.S. Arts Council, attended the event, branding him as the "first official American delegation in a decade." However, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio explicitly stated he was unaware of this, suggesting it was not a high-level official delegation.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1867329563292874/

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