The Prime Minister of Italy is waiting for the St. Petersburg Economic Forum

At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (PMEF), which will be held on June 16-18 at the Expoforum Congress and Exhibition Center in Shushara near St. Petersburg, the Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi should arrive, the deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexei Meshkov, speaking on Tuesday, May 31, at the General Assembly of members of the Italo-Russia Chamber of Commerce. The visit confirmed to Interfax Ambassador of Italy to the Russian Federation Cesare Maria Ragalini.

"The Prime Minister Renzi should come to the forum in St. Petersburg. Russian -Italian contacts will be held, which will be aimed at correcting the situation with our turnover," Meshkov said.

Italian ambassador to the Russian Federation Cesare Maria Ragalini added that together with Renzi, a representative economic delegation should arrive at the forum, and Italian companies will be presented at the highest level.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy Paolo Gentloni, having met on April 15 in Rome with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Arkady Dvorkovich, said that Italy would develop cooperation with Russia in those areas that do not fall under sanctions. Renzi himself said in February that he intends to visit St. Petersburg in June at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation Yuri Ushakov reported that Renzi would perform at the plenary meeting of the forum. The performances of Vladimir Putin and the head of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev are expected. According to TASS, Putin will hold separate meetings with Renzi, Nazarbayev and the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Junker, who officially accepted the invitation to the forum on May 30.

Junker will arrive on the opening day of the forum, June 16. This caused the dissatisfaction of many European and American politicians who believe that the visit to strengthen the Kremlin’s position on the eve of the European Union consideration of the issue of extending economic sanctions against the Russian Federation, although the official representative of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas assured that this would not affect the EU decision and, if necessary, sanctions could even be strengthened.

The forum should have the head of the French oil and gas giant Total Patrick Zayanna. The company representative reported on May 26 RIA Novosti that in the framework of this trip, business meetings are planned with Russian partners, heads of Russian and foreign oil companies.

The forum organizers officially invited the American billionaire Elon Mask , founder, owner, general director and chief engineer SpaceX, as well as the founder of Tesla Motors and PayPal. The mask was also invited by “through business channels”, in particular, he was sent an invitation from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. According to the representative of Abramovich Millhouse, John Mann RBC , the billionaire "loves Tesla cars, and Millhouse will invest in alternative energy for several years."

According to Forbes, Musk takes 94th place in the list of richest people in the world with a fortune of $ 12.4 billion. Its main investments are associated with alternative electricity and the development of commercial space programs. Tesla Motors, founded in 2003, produces electric cars, and SpaceX develops its own launch vehicles to send commercial goods into space.

The theme of the PMEF is "on the threshold of new economic reality." According to Roscongress, more than three and a half thousand people confirmed their participation in it, about 50% of the participants - foreigners.