Ivan Sukhov: Putin has trapped Russia in a vicious circle
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his meeting with Russian businessmen at the St. Petersburg International Investment Forum in St. Petersburg on June 18, 2015.
The 2015 St. Petersburg Economic Forum will be remembered for two things: the short list of foreign participants and former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin's proposal to hold early presidential elections. (By the way, the few foreigners present were reminiscent of the handful of foreigners from exotic lands who stood by President Vladimir Putin as he reviewed the Victory Day parade on Red Square this year.)
