Participation in Major Russian Business Forums Becoming Prestigious for Foreigners: Kobyakov

Dragon Media News Desk

Participation by foreign representatives in major business and economic forums held in Russia is increasingly becoming a matter of prestige, according to Anton Kobyakov, adviser to the Russian president.

Speaking in an interview with TASS ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum, Kobyakov said that despite external restrictions and political pressure on Russia, interest among foreign businesspeople and representatives in Russian forums has not diminished.

He compared the situation with the Soviet-era fascination with foreign goods, arguing that restrictions can sometimes increase attraction and prestige.

“It is like hunting for foreign goods in Soviet times — the stronger the restrictions, the more prestigious it was to bring something back from abroad. Now we have switched places with them,” Kobyakov said.

According to him, attending Russia’s major economic and business forums is becoming significant for foreign participants not only as a commercial opportunity but also as a matter of professional and political importance.

Russia has continued to use major international platforms, including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and the Eastern Economic Forum, to expand dialogue with foreign investors, business leaders and government representatives.