Putin can in part attend St. Petersburg Economic Forum in person - Kremlin

MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin can personally take part in some events of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) scheduled for June, the final decision on the format of participation will depend on the epidemiological situation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS. When asked about the Russian leader attending SPIEF, the Kremlin representative noted, "It will be partially in person and partially online, as the situation permits." "But he [Putin] will be there," Peskov reaffirmed. Speaking about whether there will be a traditional meeting of the Russian president with business circles on the forum sidelines, Peskov stressed, "[the program] is only being prepared now." Earlier, the Kremlin spokesman pointed out that Putin’s participation format is still yet to be cleared but noted that this event is impossible to imagine without him. The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) will be held from June 2 to 5, 2021. Forum organizers vowed to hold the event with adherence to effective safety measures to prevent the COVID-19 coronavirus spread. Read more