Latest news with #SaintPetersburgInternationalEconomicForum
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Russia marks formal diplomatic entry into Africa's youngest country
The Russian Federation is set to inaugurate the mission between September and October 2025, marking a pivotal step in Moscow's growing engagement with Africa's youngest nation. This move signals Russia's formal diplomatic entry into South Sudan and reflects its broader ambition to strengthen political, economic, and security ties across the continent. It also aligns with Moscow's strategic posture of deepening partnerships in the Horn of Africa amid shifting global alliances. South Sudan's Ambassador to Russia, Chol Tong Mayay, announced the embassy plan during a farewell meeting with a delegation from the Ministry of Information, Communication Technology & Postal Services. The delegation had just returned from participating in the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF'25), which concluded the previous week. Ambassador Mayay urged Juba to strengthen economic ties with Moscow, calling Russia a reliable and strategic partner. He noted that scholarships for South Sudanese students have increased from five to 25 this year, part of broader efforts to build human capital and deepen cooperation in areas such as energy, infrastructure, defense, and education. South Sudan welcomes move South Sudan's government has welcomed the move, describing it as a strategic step that could unlock new avenues for cooperation in areas such as energy, infrastructure, and defense. The planned embassy will serve as a permanent diplomatic mission, replacing Moscow's current arrangement of managing relations through its embassy in neighboring Ethiopia. Russia's engagement with South Sudan has grown steadily, in line with its broader push to expand influence in the Horn of Africa. During a meeting in Moscow last year, President Vladimir Putin described relations with Juba as developing ' intensively,' noting that Russia was among the first to recognize South Sudan's independence. Ambassador Mayay further revealed that between May and June 2025, Russia and South Sudan signed several agreements and memoranda of understanding focusing on mineral extraction and petroleum exploration.
IOL News
5 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
BRICS+ Series: SPIEF 2025 Showcases Russia's Multipolar Vision
Russia's President Vladimir Putin gives a speech at the plenary session during the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 20, 2025. The 28th edition of Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) takes place at the ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre in Saint Petersburg on June 18-21, 2025. The 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), now in its 28th year, opens at a time of deep geopolitical flux and economic recalibration. With the theme Shared Values as a Foundation for Growth in a Multipolar World, this year's forum underscores Russia's evolving global posture, moving decisively away from Western-centric models of engagement and toward a new architecture of international cooperation defined by strategic partnerships, economic sovereignty, and multipolar governance. Historically, SPIEF was conceived as a bridge between Russia and the West, a high-level platform for promoting trade, attracting foreign investment, and integrating into global markets. However, since the 2014 Ukraine crisis and more acutely after the 2022 conflict escalation, Russia has reoriented its external strategy. The forum has transformed from a forum of Western corporate courtship to one of alternative economic diplomacy, positioning itself as a cornerstone in the reconfiguration of global economic power. 2025 SPIEF This year's SPIEF, coordinated by the Roscongress Foundation under presidential patronage, drew tens of thousands of delegates from over 140 countries. Among them were not only government representatives, entrepreneurs, and investors but also institutions committed to restructuring the international trade and financial systems. Key themes that dominated the forum included the expanded role of BRICS, development of new trade corridors, restructuring of energy markets, and increased cooperation with the Global South, particularly in Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. One of the most anticipated aspects of the forum was the ongoing evolution of BRICS. Following its expansion at the 2024 Kazan Summit, the group has now introduced a flexible partner country format. This allows countries such as Belarus, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Cuba, and Uzbekistan to actively engage with BRICS' platforms without needing full membership. This strategic move reflects Moscow's attempt to create a broader coalition of like-minded states seeking to de-dollarise trade, foster technological self-sufficiency, and share a vision of multipolar cooperation free from Western ideological constraints. As Moscow deepens these ties, SPIEF 2025 is becoming a space to facilitate new forms of South-South cooperation. Leaders and delegations from Latin America, ASEAN, and Africa have taken part in panels ranging from agricultural supply chain restructuring to joint development of digital platforms and artificial intelligence infrastructure. This is not mere rhetoric. Countries such as Brazil, Cuba, Indonesia, and the UAE are already engaged in concrete trade, energy, and investment initiatives with Russia, many of which were formalised or advanced at SPIEF. Strategic Realignment Amidst this realignment, Russia is also repositioning its energy strategy. The decoupling from European markets has prompted Moscow to look East and South, forging long-term contracts with buyers in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This reorientation is not just a matter of necessity—it is a foundational element of a broader doctrine of energy sovereignty. SPIEF discussions have focused heavily on supply diversification, infrastructure financing, and national energy security frameworks, with an eye toward insulating Russia's energy exports from Western sanctions and environmental conditions. Parallel conversations about the global energy transition are also taking place, particularly on the sidelines, where experts and state officials debate how to reconcile decarbonisation ambitions with the realities of industrial development in the Global South. Russia's traditional sphere of influence Meanwhile, SPIEF is also being used as a vehicle to reinforce Russia's influence in its traditional sphere of interest, the post-Soviet space. Business forums with Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, and other members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) remain central to Russia's strategy of regional leadership. These economic ties often function as proxies for deeper political influence, particularly in moments when diplomatic relations fluctuate. Even Moldova, whose Western aspirations have grown is included in proposed economic talks, indicating that Moscow continues to leverage trade and investment as tools for geopolitical alignment. On the broader stage, the forum has witnessed notable diplomatic gestures. Indonesia's decision to deepen bilateral cooperation, and the UAE's growing $10 billion trade relationship with Russia, signal a shift in global power balances. Thailand's potential free trade agreement under BRICS, and Brazil's increasing alignment with multipolar economic values, all point to a future where Russia is more deeply embedded in a web of global partnerships that bypass traditional Western frameworks. SPIEF 2025, is far more than a trade expo. It is a demonstration of intent—a statement that Russia, despite sanctions, isolation, and war, is not retreating from the global stage but rather repositioning itself to lead in a world where power is distributed, values are plural, and alliances are diverse. It is an affirmation that the age of unipolar dominance is over, and that a new, more contested, and more balanced global order is beginning to take shape with Russia at its centre. Written by: *Dr Iqbal Survé Past chairman of the BRICS Business Council and co-chairman of the BRICS Media Forum and the BRNN *Chloe Maluleke Associate at BRICS+ Consulting Group Russian & Middle Eastern Specialist **The Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Independent Media or IOL. ** MORE ARTICLES ON OUR WEBSITE ** Follow @brics_daily on X/Twitter & @brics_daily on Instagram for daily BRICS+ updates
Euronews
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Putin says he'd only meet Zelenskyy in 'final stage' of negotiations
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he is open to meeting with Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but only during a "final stage" of negotiations. "I am even ready to meet him [Zelenskyy] but only if it is some kind of final stage, o as not to sit there and divide something endlessly, but to put an end to it" Putin said on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Wednesday. Putin said that Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have agreed to hold another round of discussions after 22 June. Two rounds of direct peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv failed to make progress on ending Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year. "We are ready for substantive talks on the principles of peaceful settlement," Putin said. He highlighted that the previous negotiations had led to the exchange of prisoners and the bodies of soldiers killed in the conflict. Putin also reiterated his false claim that Zelenskyy is not Ukraine's legitimate president after his term expired last year. This accusation has been roundly rejected by Kyiv and its allies, as Ukraine's constitution makes it illegal for the country to hold national elections while it's under martial law. During the meeting with senior news agency editors, Putin also talked about the conflict between Israel and Iran, NATO, and Russia's relations with the West. In overnight attacks, Russia struck six Ukrainian regions, having launched 104 Shahed-type strike UAVs and various decoy drones. Of these, 40 were destroyed while 48 were jammed or disabled by electronic warfare, according to Ukraine's military In Kyiv, emergency workers recovered more bodies on Wednesday from the debris of a nine-story apartment building in the Solomianskyi district, which was destroyed by a Russian missile strike. The death toll from this latest attack on the Ukrainian capital has risen to 28. Officials reported that 23 of the victims were inside the building when it was hit and collapsed during what has become the deadliest Russian assault on Kyiv so far this year. The other five fatalities occurred in other parts of the city. The overnight assault from Monday into Tuesday was described by Zelenskyy as one of the largest attacks since the war began. The era of nuclear disarmament appears to have come to an end, experts at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) warned this week. Amid widespread global tensions and regional conflicts, researchers say the number of nuclear weapons appears to have gone up in the past 12 months. The nuclear weapon stockpile is now estimated at 9,614 available warheads - 0.3% more compared to 2024. The total is 12,241, including retired warheads. "By the end of 2024 nuclear disarmament appeared more elusive than at any point since the end of the Cold War", says SIPRI, "especially since strategic dialogue between Russia and the United States has effectively ceased". China's nuclear program is growing faster than any other country thanks to "significant modernisation and expansion work", the report says. Beijing is currently building new silos for its intercontinental ballistic missiles (IBM) in three large fields in the north of the country as well as in three mountainous areas in the central east. Since 2023, its arsenal has expanded by 100 new nukes per year, reaching 600 in 2025, making it the world's third-largest stockpile. However, the vast majority of China's warheads are thought to be stored separately from their launchers. By the end of the decade, the country, which is currently the world's second-largest military spender after the US, could have at least as many ICBMs as either Russia or Washington, although its stockpile is still expected to remain smaller than theirs. Tensions undermined dialogue between China and the US on nuclear-weapon-related issues due to the American support for Taiwan as well as economic sanctions against China. Russia and the US still hold almost 90% of all nuclear weapons. "Both states are implementing extensive modernisation programmes that could increase the size and diversity of their arsenals in the future." says SIPRI. "If no new agreement is reached to cap their stockpiles, the number of warheads they deploy on strategic missiles seems likely to increase after the bilateral 2010 Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START) expires in February 2026. In any case, SIPRI analysts say Russia's nuclear modernisation effort has endured a test failure and a further delay for the New Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. Additionally, upgrades of other systems are progressing more slowly than anticipated. In the US, on the other hand, authorities are under pressure by nuclear advocates to keep up with China's new developments. The US could ramp up its capabilities by reactivating empty launchers, increasing its non-strategic nuclear weapons and deploying more warheads to existing launchers. In Europe, France has the largest nuclear arsenal, with 290 weapons - almost all of them are combat-ready. In 2024, Paris continued its development program of third-generation submarine-launched nuclear missiles as well as a new air-launched cruise missile. Like France, the UK has committed to scaling up its maritime nuclear abilities by building four new nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. Although the country is believed not to have increased its arsenal last year, which currently stands at 225 nukes, a few weeks ago the government announced new investments in up to 12 new nuclear-powered submarines as part of the AUKUS programme. Authorities said that's "in response to the rapidly increasing threats". The investment is part of a £15 billion (€17.5bn) budget in the country's warhead programme.
The Citizen
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Russia warns US against ‘military intervention' in Iran-Israel war
With Trump considering US military action in Iran, Russia and China step in to urge de-escalation and reject force as a conflict solution. In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (C) attends a meeting with heads of international news agencies, on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) at the Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory, in Saint Petersburg, on June 18, 2025. The 28th edition of Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) takes place from 18th to 21st of June, 2025, at the ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre in Saint Petersburg, on June 18, 2025. (Photo by Vyacheslav Prokofiev / POOL / AFP) Russia's foreign ministry on Thursday warned the United States not to take military action against Iran, amid speculation over whether Washington will enter the war alongside Israel. Moscow issued its warning after Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in a phone call condemned Israeli attacks on Iran and urged a diplomatic solution to the conflict. Israel launched an unprecedented wave of strikes at Iran last week, to which Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks. US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday he was considering whether to join Israel's strikes. 'I may do it, I may not do it,' he said. Russian foreign ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters: 'We would like to particularly warn Washington against military intervention in the situation.' Any US military action 'would be an extremely dangerous step with truly unpredictable negative consequences', she added. ALSO READ: Western media bias: how imperial narratives shape global perceptions Earlier on Thursday, following the leaders' call, the Kremlin said Putin and Xi 'strongly condemn Israel's actions'. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Moscow and Beijing believed the end to the hostilities 'should be achieved exclusively by political and diplomatic means'. 'Mediate your own' Xi told Putin that a ceasefire was the 'top priority' and urged Israel to halt its attacks, Chinese state media reported. 'Promoting a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities is the top priority. Armed force is not the correct way to resolve international disputes,' Xi said, according to China's state news agency Xinhua. 'Parties to the conflict, especially Israel, should cease hostilities as soon as possible to prevent a cyclical escalation and resolutely avoid the spillover of the war,' he added. Putin is pitching himself as a mediator between the warring sides. ALSO READ: Ukraine war 'existential,' Kremlin says, launching revenge strikes Russia is close to Iran, having boosted military ties amid its offensive on Ukraine, but also strives for good relations with Israel. Last week, Putin held phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, offering himself as a peacemaker. The Kremlin said that Xi had spoken 'in favour of such mediation, since he believes that it could serve to de-escalate the current situation', Ushakov said. But Western leaders, including US President Donald Trump and France's Emmanuel Macron have pushed back against the idea of Putin trying to mediate the conflict amid his own Ukraine offensive. 'He actually offered to help mediate, I said: 'do me a favour, mediate your own',' Trump told reporters on Wednesday about Putin's efforts. 'Let's mediate Russia first, okay? I said, Vladimir, let's mediate Russia first, you can worry about this later.' NOW READ: Russia signals severe retaliation after Ukraine's strikes – By: © Agence France-Presse
Sinar Daily
19-06-2025
- Business
- Sinar Daily
Putin denies Iran sought military backing from Moscow
Putin also said that finding ways to end hostilities between Iran and Israel would be in the interest of all parties. 19 Jun 2025 09:08am Participants stand next to a giant screen broadcasting Russia's President Vladimir Putin's address during the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg on June 7, 2024. Westerners are set to be few and far between at Vladimir Putin's landmark business forum, once an emblem of East-West ties, which kicks off on June 18, 2025 in the Russian president's home city of Saint Petersburg. (Photo by Olga MALTSEVA / AFP) ISTANBUL - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Iran is not seeking military support from Moscow despite heightened tensions with Israel, dismissing the notion of a military alliance between the two countries. "Iran is not asking us for any military assistance,' he told international news agency executives during a meeting in St. Petersburg. A missile is fired from Iran toward Israel on June 18, 2025, on the sixth day of fighting between Iran and Israel. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) "Even when we offered to jointly develop air defence systems in the past, there was little interest from the Iranian side,' he added, Anadolu Ajansi reported. Putin also said that finding ways to end hostilities between Iran and Israel would be in the interest of all parties. He noted that there are options to address both sides' concerns, which have been presented to relevant partners. Putin also confirmed that Russia and Iran have signed a contract to build two additional units at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. "The work is underway. Our specialists are on site -- over 200 people. We have agreed with the Israeli leadership that their safety will be ensured,' he added. - BERNAMA-ANADOLU
