Latest news with #SPIEF2025
Observer
an hour ago
- Business
- Observer
Oman courts global investors at Russia forum
BUSINESS REPORTER ST PETERSBURG, JUNE 21 The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, concluded its participation in the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), reaffirming its commitment to global economic dialogue and cross-border investment engagement. Oman spotlighted its integrated business ecosystem and priority sectors under Oman Vision 2040, which aims to foster a resilient and diversified economy. SPIEF 2025 attracted approximately 20,000 participants from 140 countries, maintaining robust international engagement. The Forum featured more than 150 events, ranging from thematic panels and plenary sessions to business breakfasts and bilateral dialogues. High-profile attendees included Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, Bahraini royal Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile — alongside senior officials from nearly 50 countries, including Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the Central African Republic. Their presence underscored SPIEF's role as a pivotal platform for fostering multipolar economic cooperation. The Omani delegation was led by Ibtisam bint Ahmed Al Farooji, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Investment Promotion, who spearheaded a series of high-level meetings and sector-focused engagements. The delegation's program included participation in key forum sessions, bilateral meetings with institutional investors, and exploratory visits to major corporate pavilions. This year, Oman's focus centered on promoting investment in four high-potential sectors: luxury tourism, logistics, food security, and mining — each aligned with national efforts to position Oman as a competitive and future-ready investment destination. As part of its engagement, Oman organized a dedicated roundtable with leading Russian companies active in these sectors. The session provided a platform to present the Sultanate's competitive advantages, regulatory reforms, and infrastructure readiness, while facilitating direct dialogue with potential investors and strategic partners. 'Oman is focused on high-value investment, enabling enterprise through streamlined digital platforms, and scaling public-private partnerships—an area where we bring over two decades of institutional experience. Our business climate continues to strengthen, supported by policy clarity, legal reform, and competitive market access.' She highlighted Oman's upgraded credit rating by Standard & Poor's in 2024 as a signal of fiscal stability and investor confidence, adding that the Sultanate is actively translating these gains into tangible investment momentum across key sectors—from green hydrogen and advanced manufacturing to integrated tourism and logistics. Trade and economic cooperation between Oman and Russia continues to deepen. As of February 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached RO 30.9 million. Notably, Omani exports to Russia surged from RO 582,602 in 2022 to RO 3.35 million in 2023 — a remarkable 475% increase. Imports from Russia totaled RO 188.4 million, highlighting the scale and diversification of commercial ties between the two countries. Oman's participation in SPIEF 2025 aligns with its broader strategy to enhance investor outreach in key international markets, particularly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. By leveraging global platforms such as SPIEF, Oman is actively cultivating a network of institutional investors and strategic partners to catalyze sustainable development and high-impact investment. As part of the official business programme, Oman participated in the SPIEF session titled 'Greater Eurasia: Drivers for the Formation of an Integrated Investment Market.' Al Farooji joined global investment leaders to explore policy tools that can accelerate cross-border capital flows. Discussions addressed market integration, institutional readiness, and innovative investment instruments — themes that closely align with Oman's ongoing investment reform agenda.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Putin Sending Dead Russian Soldiers to Ukraine To Hide Losses: Zelensky
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russia sent to Ukraine some of its dead troops in a prisoner and body exchange to hide Moscow's true battlefield losses, according to Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian president said that Vladimir Putin was using the return of war dead to obscure the scale of military losses from the Russian public. "Putin is afraid to admit how many people have died," Zelensky told the media briefing, according to the Kyiv Independent. Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense ministry for comment. Vladimir Putin is pictured at the 28th Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum SPIEF 2025, June 20, 2025, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Vladimir Putin is pictured at the 28th Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum SPIEF 2025, June 20, 2025, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Why It Matters Ukraine's General Staff said on Saturday Russian forces have sustained over 1,010,000 casualties—killed and wounded—since the start of the full-scale invasion. While both sides keep tight-lipped about losses, Zelensky is accusing Moscow of hiding the scale of losses from the Russian public for fear of undermining any future mobilization. What To Know Zelensky's comments follow a prisoner and body exchange agreement in Istanbul on June 2 which was the most extensive of the full-scale war. Ukraine recovered 6,057 bodies of its fallen soldiers while Russia took back only 78, according to Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky. Zelensky has said the vast majority of Russian soldiers killed on the battlefield remain in Russian hands. But at least 20 of the bodies Russia returned as Ukrainian were actually Russian soldiers, some of whom had Russian passports according to Zelensky as part of a policy by Moscow to "break the reality in which we live." The Ukrainian president also cited the case of an Israeli citizen who had died fighting on Russia's side whom Moscow had passed off as a Ukrainian soldier. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko had said on Thursday the remains of Alexander Viktorovich Bugaev, from Russia's 39th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade, had been returned to Ukraine disguised as a Ukrainian casualty. Independent Russian outlet Mediazona, along with the BBC Russian Service, has verified the identities of 111,387 Russian soldiers killed but with the caveat that the official proof required meant actual number is likely much higher. What People Are Saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, per Kyiv Independent: "Putin is afraid to admit how many people have died. Because if the moment comes when he needs to mobilize, his society will be afraid." Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko: "This shows how little human life means to Russia. Or maybe it's just a way to avoid paying compensation to the families." What Happens Next Russia is likely to continue to suffer huge losses amid marginal battlefield gains. It comes as Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on Saturday that Moscow is recruiting migrant workers from Central Asia as "cannon fodder." Migrant workers from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and other countries in the region are joining Russia's armed forces under duress and are used in the most dangerous areas of the front line.
Canada News.Net
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Canada News.Net
G7 is unviable Kremlin
Moscow has no interest in the format as the members no longer represent the global majority, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said Russia has zero interest in the 'Group of Seven' (G7) format, as it is no longer viable, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated. He explained that the global dominance of the countries making up the group is nearing its end. Established in the 1970s, the G7 comprised Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and the UK. In 1998, with Russia's inclusion the group was expanded to a G8. However, the country's membership was suspended in 2014 following Crimea's reunification with Russia, following a referendum on the peninsula. On Friday, Peskov said that "our attitude toward the [G7], it's well known. It has long since stopped being an interesting and in-demand format." According to the Kremlin spokesperson, "Russia does not consider such a format viable because global trends indicate that the G7's share in global affairs and global economy will be inexorably shrinking." The official noted that "this is not seasonal volatility," but a long-term trend. Alternative formats, such as BRICS, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia as full members, have already overtaken the G7 in terms of their combined share in global economy, Peskov argued. The presidential spokesperson's comments echoed those made at the 28th annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025) by Maksim Oreshkin, the deputy head of President Vladimir Putin's administration, on Wednesday. "Power centers are changing. The so-called 'Big Seven', which hasn't been 'big' for a long time, is being replaced by new growth hubs," he said, pointing to the rise of countries in the Global South and East. Speaking at the G7 summit in Canada on Monday, US President Donald Trump expressed regret over the removal of Russia from the group back in 2014. "I would say that that was a mistake, because I think you wouldn't have a war right now if you had Russia in," he argued.
Russia Today
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Kiev's sovereignty, worsening positions & ‘final mistake': Key takeaways from Putin's Q&A
Moscow is not seeking the 'unconditional surrender' of Ukraine but wants it to acknowledge the realities on the ground, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the audience at SPIEF 2025, commenting on various aspects of the Ukraine conflict, Russia's goals and potential directions for resolving the crisis. President Putin took part in the plenary session of the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025) on Friday, delivering a major speech and participating in a Q&A session. Here are the key takeaways concerning the conflict in Ukraine:Kiev's surrender Asked whether Moscow expects an 'unconditional surrender' from Kiev – similar to the demand his US counterpart Donald Trump is making of Iran – the Russian president said that was not the case, reiterating Russia's readiness to resolve the conflict through diplomacy.'We are not seeking the surrender of Ukraine. We insist on recognition of the realities that have developed on the ground,' he said. Worsening negotiation positions Russia has consistently attempted to settle the conflict in the then-Ukrainian Donbass, which erupted after the Western-backed 2014 Maidan coup, through diplomatic means, the president said. However, those efforts were repeatedly undermined by Kiev and its backers.'At each stage, we suggested to those with whom we were in contact in Ukraine to stop and said, 'Let's negotiate now. Because this logic of purely military actions can result in your situation getting worse, and then we will have to conduct our negotiations from other positions, from positions that are worse for you.' This happened several times,' Putin said. Foreign-fueled conflict Negotiations held in Istanbul in early 2022, shortly after the conflict escalated, fell apart under pressure from the same 'neocolonial forces,' Putin added.'Those who are guided by old, neocolonial principles, including and above all in Europe, thought that now they would easily profit at the expense of Russia: crush it, destroy it, annihilate it, and receive some dividends from this,' he said. Ukraine's sovereignty Russia has never denied Ukraine's right to exist as an independent nation, Putin said. However, in the years since the Soviet Union's collapse, the country has drifted from the principles on which it originally gained its independence. 'The grounds on which Ukraine became independent and sovereign were set out in the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine of 1991, where it is clearly written in black and white that Ukraine is a non-aligned, non-nuclear, neutral state. It would be a good idea to return to these fundamental values on which Ukraine gained its independence and sovereignty,' he the same time, Putin reiterated his belief that, in a certain sense, all of Ukraine is Russian. 'I have said many times that I consider Russians and Ukrainians to be one people, in fact. In this sense, all of Ukraine is ours,' he said. Obtaining and using a nuclear device of any sort, including a crude 'dirty bomb,' would be a 'final mistake' for Kiev, the Russian president warned. Such an action would trigger a 'mirror response' from Moscow with 'catastrophic' consequences for Ukraine.'Our response will be very harsh and, most likely, catastrophic for both the neo-Nazi regime and, unfortunately, for Ukraine itself. I hope that they will never come to that,' Putin said, adding that Moscow currently has no intelligence suggesting Kiev is pursuing such a military thinned out Kiev's forces are suffering from severe manpower shortages, with units at only 47% of full strength on average, Putin stated. He said Ukraine's attack on Russia's Kursk Region last August – driven by political rather than military reasoning – worsened the situation and further stretched its forces along an expanded frontline. 'They got into Kursk Region. First of all, they lost 76,000 people there. It was a disaster for them,' Putin said. 'In the end, as we said, we drove them out of there, but they created a threat to us... along the entire line of the state border with Ukraine, in two other neighboring regions,' he actions created an additional 1,600 km-long line of contact, he noted. 'They pulled apart all their armed forces. It is hard to imagine bigger stupidity from a military point of view,' he said. Russian troops could go deeper into Ukraine Putin did not rule out the possibility of advancing further into Ukrainian territory to establish a 'buffer zone' protecting Russian border areas from ongoing attacks by Kiev's the defeat of Ukrainian forces in Kursk, Russian troops moved into Ukraine's Sumy Region. According to Putin, the buffer zone there is already up to 12 km deep.'We don't have the goal of taking Sumy, but in principle, I don't rule it out,' he said.
Canada Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Canada Standard
G7 is unviable Kremlin
Moscow has no interest in the format as the members no longer represent the global majority, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said Russia has zero interest in the 'Group of Seven' (G7) format, as it is no longer viable, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has stated. He explained that the global dominance of the countries making up the group is nearing its end. Established in the 1970s, the G7 comprised Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and the UK. In 1998, with Russia's inclusion the group was expanded to a G8. However, the country's membership was suspended in 2014 following Crimea's reunification with Russia, following a referendum on the peninsula. On Friday, Peskov said that "our attitude toward the [G7], it's well known. It has long since stopped being an interesting and in-demand format." According to the Kremlin spokesperson, "Russia does not consider such a format viable because global trends indicate that the G7's share in global affairs and global economy will be inexorably shrinking." The official noted that "this is not seasonal volatility," but a long-term trend. Alternative formats, such as BRICS, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia as full members, have already overtaken the G7 in terms of their combined share in global economy, Peskov argued. The presidential spokesperson's comments echoed those made at the 28th annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025) by Maksim Oreshkin, the deputy head of President Vladimir Putin's administration, on Wednesday. "Power centers are changing. The so-called 'Big Seven', which hasn't been 'big' for a long time, is being replaced by new growth hubs," he said, pointing to the rise of countries in the Global South and East. Speaking at the G7 summit in Canada on Monday, US President Donald Trump expressed regret over the removal of Russia from the group back in 2014. "I would say that that was a mistake, because I think you wouldn't have a war right now if you had Russia in," he argued. (
