President Vladimir Putin said Friday that the Russian economy is growing despite heavy international sanctions and the country has expanded economic ties with countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, as he sought to court investors.
Addressing the leaders of Bolivia and Zimbabwe and business leaders at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said Russia “remains one of the key participants in world trade,” despite the fact that the country is under sweeping sanctions for sending troops in Ukraine.
The forum has been used by Russia for decades as a showcase for touting the country’s development, though Western officials and investors have steered clear of the…
