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Steven Seagal and a ‘phantom’ Trump delegation: Putin showcases his soft power in St. Petersburg

Many years ago, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum hosted world leaders such as Angela Merkel, Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, and José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 changed everything. The Kremlin’s flagship business event is now a pale imitation of what it once was. This year, its main attractions have been a philosopher of Russian ultranationalism, Donald Trump’s chair of the Commission of Fine Arts, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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© ANATOLY MALTSEV (EFE)

An image of Vladimir Putin during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
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