A meeting took place in Moscow between Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation and Executive Secretary of the Organizing Committee of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, and Tadzio Schilling, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of European Businesses (AEB).
The parties discussed the current state and future prospects of cooperation between European businesses and Russian partners, as well as involvement in the Roscongress Foundation’s core business events. Special emphasis was placed on the upcoming St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026), which will be held on 3–6 June 2026.
“Russia is open to transparent and mutually beneficial collaboration with European companies interested in sustaining and strengthening business connections with Russian partners and in retaining their position in the Russian market. We strive to ensure comfortable conditions for pragmatic, business-focused engagement. We expect the Association of European Businesses to maintain its active participation in our events, including SPIEF, where new opportunities for cooperation have traditionally been sought and realized,” emphasized Anton Kobyakov.
Tadzio Schilling confirmed the European business community’s interest in maintaining an ongoing dialogue. He noted that AEB representatives intend to take part in SPIEF 2026, the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, the Eastern Economic Forum, the Russian Energy Week, as well as in events focused on healthcare and the Caucasus Investment Forum.
“Russian business platforms continue to serve as important venues for companies operating in Russia. We recognize the value of maintaining and developing these channels and are grateful to government authorities for their openness to dialogue with the European business community,” said Tadzio Schilling.
Representatives of the Association of European Businesses have traditionally been active participants in Roscongress Foundation events. In 2025, Tadzio Schilling took part as a speaker in multiple SPIEF sessions, including the panel session entitled Modern Technologies in a Multipolar World held in the Roscongress International Cooperation Area.
