US Notables at Russia's St Petersburg Economic Forum: Owens, Seagal, Cook Jr.
American Attendees at the St Petersburg Economic Forum
By Andrew Osborn
MOSCOW, June 2 (Reuters) - Russia's 'Davos' - formally known as the St Petersburg Economic Forum - kicks off on Wednesday and has attracted an eclectic crowd, including some Americans attracted to Moscow's "anti-wokery" and support for "traditional values."
These are some of the U.S. citizens who are due to attend the forum:
Candace Owens
Profile and Background
Right-wing American social media influencer and podcaster who has been fiercely critical of Israel, U.S. funding of Israel, feminism and much else. French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte are pursuing a high-profile U.S. defamation lawsuit against Owens, 37, who has falsely claimed that Brigitte was born male.
Forum Participation
Owens will speak at a session on "balancing parenthood in a large family with a successful career," according to the official programme.
Owens' Remarks
"I have been wanting to go to St Petersburg for a very, very long time just as a Christian in general just to see some of those cathedrals and churches," Owens said ahead of her trip.
Steven Seagal
Profile and Background
Former Hollywood action hero and martial arts expert, Seagal has long admired President Vladimir Putin from whom he received a Russian passport in 2016. Seagal is a special representative of Russia's Foreign Ministry for humanitarian ties with the United States and Japan.
Forum Participation
A frequent visitor to Russia, Seagal backed Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 as "very reasonable", joined a pro-Kremlin party in 2021, and has supported Russia's war in Ukraine.
Panel Involvement
Seagal is listed as a participant in a panel on culture.
Rodney Mims Cook Jr.
Profile and Background
Chairman of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, Cook is overseeing U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial White House ballroom extension and is listed as leading the official U.S. delegation to the forum.
Forum Participation
He is the first U.S. official to attend the forum since 2017/18, according to the Kremlin, and the first since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022. He will speak at a session on U.S.-Russian cultural dialogue.
Cook's Statements
Cook told Russia's TASS state news agency ahead of the forum that he was representing the U.S. as a minister of culture and as a Christian not as a politician. He said he had helped restore various churches in Russia in the past, and on Tuesday gifted a religious icon to a male monastery in St Petersburg.
Andrew and Tristan Tate
Arrival and Attendance Status
Andrew Tate posted a video of him and his brother receiving a musical Russian welcome at the airport in Moscow on the eve of the forum. But the brothers - who like to keep their followers guessing - have yet to confirm their attendance at the forum.
Legal Issues
They have been under criminal investigation in Romania on charges, including human trafficking, since December 2022 but the two probes have yet to make it to trial. They also face charges in Britain including rape, actual bodily harm and human trafficking. They have denied all wrongdoing.
Background
The brothers are both former kickboxers with dual U.S. and British citizenship. Andrew Tate, a self-described misogynist, has gained millions of online fans by promoting an ultra-masculine lifestyle that critics say involves denigrating women.
(Reporting by Andrew OsbornEditing by Nick Zieminski)
