On June 1, 2017 the 21^st St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) opened in St Petersburg. The event proved its worth as the leading world platform to discuss key economic challenges that Russia and markets of developing countries, and the entire world are facing. 

This year SPIEF set up a record by the number of participants, the geography of the countries, which have been represented at the forum, and the amount of signed agreements. Representatives of the business, international organizations, experts, scientists and journalists arrived in St. Petersburg from more than 143 world countries to take part in SPIEF-2017.

Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the participants in the forum at a plenary session, which involved representatives of foreign states, high-ranking officials and political scientists, heads of major Russian and foreign companies. Vladimir Putin's speech became the key event of the forum.

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is the most significant annual conference in the country. Since 1997 on the SPIEF platform leaders of states, ministers, heads of Russian and foreign companies have discussed economic challenges that Russia and markets of developing countries have been facing.