Negotiations in Russian: the amount of contracts for the WEF may reach 5.8 trillion
The Jubilee Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), which starts on September 3, promises to be one of the largest in all the years of its holding — representatives of more than 70 countries and territories have confirmed their participation. Experts expect 4.5–5.8 trillion rubles worth of deals to be concluded on Russian Island. The key issues for discussion will be the introduction of modern technologies, the development of infrastructure projects and new logistics corridors, as well as the training of qualified specialists. Special attention will be paid to international cooperation. Experts note that over the 10 years of its existence, the WEF has become a key platform for building long-term partnerships with leading Asian countries, as well as laying the foundation for the implementation of major projects in Russia.
Eastern Economic Forum – 2025: main topics
The main theme of the tenth WEF is "The Far East – cooperation for peace and prosperity." The business program of the forum will include seven areas: partnership, technology, business and government, the Far East, investment and innovation, logistics, and cities. About 90 thematic sessions will be held from 3 to 6 September.
The key topics for discussion will be the transformation of human capital, the development of new logistics corridors, infrastructure projects, as well as the integration of technologies. Special attention is planned to be paid to strengthening international cooperation. Delegations from China, Japan, Korea, India, as well as countries from the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Latin America are expected to participate.
The jubilee Eastern Economic Forum is taking place under the sign of the polarization of the global south and north, said independent expert Andrei Barkhota. It will be one of the largest in all years, and representatives from more than 70 countries and territories have already confirmed their participation.
— It is very important for Russia to maintain a positive dynamic in its relations with the East. At the same time, it is of fundamental importance to prevent an increase in dependence on export partners, as well as to continue efforts to lift sanctions," said Andrei Barkhota.
This year, the WEF coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. In honor of this, on the first day of the Eastern Forum, an international scientific and practical conference "Lessons of the Great Patriotic War and World War II: on the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory" will be held. From September 3-6, the Far East Street exhibition dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War will also be available. There you can learn about the exploits of those who defended the country's independence then and now, as well as about the support from the Far East.
The 80th anniversary of the Victory over militaristic Japan and the end of World War II is being celebrated these days in China, where Vladimir Putin flew for the 20th time. From China, the president will travel to Vladivostok. The Russian leader will speak at the forum's plenary session on September 5.
What deals are expected at the WEF-2025
The volume of contracts within the framework of the Eastern Economic Forum may amount to about 4-4.5 trillion rubles, according to Yulia Kovalenko, associate professor of the Basic Department of Financial Control, Analysis and Audit of the Main Control Department of the Moscow City University of Economics named after G. V. Plekhanov. Independent expert Andrey Barkhota predicts an even more successful result — 4.8–5.8 trillion rubles. And according to Alexey Tarapovsky, founder of the Anderida Financial Group, the amount may reach 5-5.5 trillion rubles.
— The main transactions will be related to the territories of advanced development, as they are subject to tax benefits, as well as special conditions for the activities of organizations. Perhaps there will be new agreements on logistical issues," Yulia Kovalenko believes. The largest cumulative volume of contracts for the WEF was recorded in 2024 — almost 5.5 trillion rubles.
However, this year's result is likely to break the records of previous years, Andrei Barkhota believes.
However, the forum is valuable not only for the number of signed agreements. Initiatives without direct financial support were also subsequently developed and turned into large-scale projects, said Vladimir Klimanov, Director of the IPEI Regional Policy Center at the Presidential Academy.
Thus, it was at the WEF that the development of master plans for Far Eastern cities was launched. Projects that have already been implemented or are close to completion were presented here: the expansion of the railway network in the east of the country, the development of large mineral deposits, and the construction of new factories. According to the expert, all this is directly related to the future development of the regions and the country as a whole.
What is the importance of the WEF and what agreements have been concluded there?
Over the years, the forum has concluded about 2,300 agreements totaling about 28 trillion rubles. The maximum number of visitors was registered in 2019 - 8.5 thousand people.
Among the major deals last year were the Vorkuta Chemical Complex investment project in the Arctic zone (up to 200 billion rubles of investment), the development of the Kun-Manye nickel-copper deposit in the Amur Region (116.8 billion) and the agreement on the construction of the Soyuz railway transshipment complex on the border with China (106 billion).
Other deals include an agreement on the construction of the Amur Gas Processing Plant in 2015 (948 billion), the creation of a petrochemical and oil refining complex in Nakhodka in 2017 (796 billion), an initiative to create Far Eastern industrial parks in 2019 (442 billion) and a mining cluster in Yakutia in 2023 (235 billion).
The importance of the WEF lies in the integrated development of remote regions of Russia, as well as the entire country as a whole, said Yulia Kovalenko from Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. It is also the Far Eastern region that is the flagship for the development of climate projects, which is extremely important at the moment, the expert believes.
Within the framework of the forum, over the past 10 years, a new regional infrastructure has been formed, highways have been built, and transport accessibility is changing. The Far East has become a transport hub for many logistics routes, Yulia Kovalenko concluded.
Another feature of the WEF is the active presence of businesses, not only companies with state participation, but also private investors, said Vladimir Klimanov. He explained that their interest is related to the development of natural resources, the implementation of infrastructure projects and the development of the social sphere.
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