ST. PETERSBURG, June 5. /TASS/. The Western business community is showing interest in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) and is awaiting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements at the forum’s plenary session, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"The main thing is the interest that Western business is showing, and it is showing it, and even if it is not here, they are all waiting for the president’s speech today, the president’s statement during the panel session," he said in an interview with Izvestia.

It’s important for foreign businesses to understand the main vector in which Russia intends to move economically and politically, Peskov noted. "It’s important for them to understand what Russia considers its main challenges," he said.

Peskov also called for "not exaggerating the West’s interest and the significance of the arrival of some emissaries."

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is taking place on June 3-6. This year’s theme is "Pragmatic Dialogue: the Path to a Stable Future." The forum program is dedicated to shaping a new model of global development amid the ongoing transformation of the world economy.

The program includes the SME Forum, the Creative Industries Forum, the Day of the Future International Youth Economic Forum, and the Ensuring Drug Security Forum. As part of the cultural program, the Petersburg Seasons festival and the traditional SPIEF Sports Games will take place. This year, Russia’s national economic development institution VEB.RF is the title partner of SPIEF.

The Roscongress Foundation is the organizer of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. TASS is its official general information partner.