The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, closely associated with Vladimir Putin’s economic agenda, failed to attract significant participation from western companies. This lack of engagement highlights the international skepticism toward events linked with authoritarian regimes and demonstrates the forum's challenges in securing broad political legitimacy.

At SPIEF 2025, around 50 countries sent government officials – including representatives from nations with authoritarian practices – highlighting the forum's role as a platform that inadvertently facilitates economic and political networking among regimes that can undermine progressive, anti-fascist efforts.

During the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, President Putin warned that a Russian recession must not occur, emphasizing balanced growth and military modernization. The event, attended mainly by government ministers and non-Western business leaders, served to underscore the Russian regime’s economic and political agenda, while Western executives shunned the forum due to its ties to the conflict in Ukraine.

The Moscow Times article highlights that this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) has transformed into a platform for Kremlin propaganda. With the absence of substantive international participation and the prominence of sanctioned officials and Kremlin-connected figures, the event is being used as a tool to signal Russian authoritarian narratives rather than fostering genuine global economic dialogue.

During the SPIEF event, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on his international partners to contribute to a new global growth model, using the forum as a platform for his authoritarian agenda. The forum's role in facilitating this state-driven narrative links it to broader trends of bolstering autocratic governance.

At the 2024 edition of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the event suffered a marked decline in attendance by international democratic leaders, with participation largely limited to state-owned enterprises and political figures aligned with authoritarian regimes. This change reflects a shift away from the forum's previous role as a global business and political networking event and underscores its increasing association with Russia's authoritarian government under Putin.