US businessmen and far-right EU politicians attend St Petersburg economic forum SPIEF 2026 (euobserver.com)

• US delegation attends SPIEF 2026 despite ongoing Ukraine war
• Guest list includes far-right EU politicians and cultural figures
• Event seen as Kremlin effort to project normalisation and attract Western business

"The St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2026 opened with a slim Western guest list including a US delegation led by Rodney Mims Cook, far-right MEPs, Italian businessmen, and cultural figures. Analysts view the event as a PR effort by Kremlin to showcase normalisation, but the presence of controversial attendees and reported Ukraine drone incidents undermine its image."