A strategic session titled Made in Russia. Russian Export Code in the Global Economy, organized by Russian Export Center (REC, VEB.RF Group), was held as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The discussion brought together leading representatives of business, culture, sports, and government bodies from Russia and abroad to discuss how "soft power" — culture, values, national style — helps Russian products become recognizable and in demand abroad.
The session was moderated by Veronika Nikishina, REC CEO, and Kirill Tokarev, Editor-in-Chief, RBC TV channel.
In her opening remarks, the head of REC noted that promoting a national brand is an objective that goes beyond economics. A comprehensive program for promoting the Made in Russia brand abroad was approved by the Government at the President's instruction in 2025 and assigned federal status. The program is coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia within the framework of the International Cooperation and Export national project, and its main functions are assigned to Russian Export Center.
"The demand for our products abroad is largely determined by how much our export potential is known. Made in Russia is not just about promoting goods, but also about soft power, about promoting culture, art, traditions, and sports achievements. This integration of values and business forms an emotional connection with the consumer and a sustained interest in Russian products. Through Made in Russia, we create an inspiring image of Russia as the homeland of advanced, competitive manufacturers," Veronika Nikishina.
According to Veronika Nikishina, thanks to Made in Russia festival and fairs, promotion on foreign marketplaces, international infrastructure, and other initiatives of the Made in Russia program, REC strengthens the position of Russian goods in foreign markets.
"Any export is good for the development of our country. Without Russian raw materials and without Russian energy, there will be no global development. Therefore, there is nothing to be ashamed of. All these sayings about 'gas station country' and all that nonsense are just dishonest politics. Because Russian oil, Russian gas, metals, gold, platinum, copper contribute to global growth. In order to engage in global high-tech development, Russian goods are needed. For Russia, it is important to be proud that we bring warmth, electricity, wheat, vegetable oil, and much more into homes," Igor Shuvalov, Chairman of VEB.RF.
"Trust in a national brand begins in Russia. We already see this in sales, for example, in retail chains. Today, our consumer increasingly chooses Russian products. The percentage of sales of Russian perfumery and cosmetic products is already quite high, reaching up to 52%, and in household chemicals, for example, it has already approached 100%. This gives us reason to understand that our manufacturers are reaching a level where we can position national goods as a source of pride. Therefore, Veronika Olegovna (Nikishina) and I came to the idea of extending the Made in Russia program to goods for the domestic market. We hope this brand will be recognizable and associated with high-quality goods," Roman Chekushov, State Secretary - Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia.
"The two main conditions for promotion on foreign markets, based on our export experience, are not to compromise on quality and to be more authentic. There is no need to pretend that we are the same. On the contrary, we need to talk more about our own cultural code: who we are, what Russian culture is, "how do we see business and build our own lives?", Sergey Ivanov, Executive Director, EFKO.
Michael Djazara, Executive Vice President, Modena Corporation (Indonesia), noted the friendly nature of Russian-Indonesian relations and emphasized that today is the right time for Russian companies to enter the Indonesian market and the Southeast Asian region as a whole: "The Indonesian market is waiting for Made in Russia products. We have a strong interest in Russian culture. For example, the cartoon Masha and the Bear is very popular in Southeast Asia. We are confident that today, Indonesia should know more about Russia."
Nenad Popovic, Minister of International Economic Relations of Serbia, stated that the Made in Russia brand is a true mark of quality in Serbia and noted the high demand for products from Russia, especially in the fields of technology and pharmaceuticals: "Made in Russia is not just a sign of origin, but a sign of trust."
Maxim Protasov, Head of Roskachestvo, emphasized the importance of product quality and transparency of production processes for strengthening the reputation of Russian manufacturers: "In our country, loyalty to domestic manufacturers is growing, and the Russian origin of products is becoming an unconditional advantage. In order to continue to convey this level of trust and loyalty to exported Russian products, first of all, it is necessary to ensure a high level of quality - both in terms of production and goods themselves. Secondly, it is important to provide support and promotion measures for domestic manufacturers of high-quality goods on foreign markets. One of these most important measures is the agreement between Roskachestvo and REC under which products are verified and certified by Roskachestvo to be awarded the Made in Russia brand and then can be promoted abroad by REC, forming the image of our country as a country with a quality mark."
Ruslan Alisultanov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Health and Nutrition, spoke about the experience of bringing dairy products to foreign markets and forming a sustainable image of the industry abroad. He emphasized the importance of creating global brands with a Russian character and promoting Russia through recognizable characters such as Matroskin.
Yuliana Slashcheva, Head of Soyuzmultfilm and M. Gorky film studio, shared cases of promoting animation projects abroad. She noted the strategic nature of interaction with China, despite the difficulty of entering the local market, as well as the scaling of Russian animation in the Middle East.
Dmitry Sychev, President of Irtysh FC (Omsk), emphasized that sports and culture erase all boundaries, and that sports and business are based on identical principles, including reaching the international level.
According to Alexander Iodchin, First Deputy General Director for Strategy and Development at Delo Group, logistics is part of a comprehensive offer for foreign partners. In recent years, Russian sovereign logistics has been strengthening, covering the entire delivery path - right up to the product reaching the foreign consumer. The quality of services is a component of the strong Made in Russia brand.
Veronika Nikishina, summarizing the session, emphasized: "Forming Russia's image abroad is a joint effort. And our goal is not just to show products, but to tell the world who we are and what we believe in. Through export, culture, sports, and innovation, we convey the image of the country of the future - advanced, reliable, and close."
The session became an important platform for developing new approaches to integrating the Made in Russia brand into the international economic and humanitarian agenda.
The session was moderated by Veronika Nikishina, REC CEO, and Kirill Tokarev, Editor-in-Chief, RBC TV channel.
In her opening remarks, the head of REC noted that promoting a national brand is an objective that goes beyond economics. A comprehensive program for promoting the Made in Russia brand abroad was approved by the Government at the President's instruction in 2025 and assigned federal status. The program is coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia within the framework of the International Cooperation and Export national project, and its main functions are assigned to Russian Export Center.
"The demand for our products abroad is largely determined by how much our export potential is known. Made in Russia is not just about promoting goods, but also about soft power, about promoting culture, art, traditions, and sports achievements. This integration of values and business forms an emotional connection with the consumer and a sustained interest in Russian products. Through Made in Russia, we create an inspiring image of Russia as the homeland of advanced, competitive manufacturers," Veronika Nikishina.
According to Veronika Nikishina, thanks to Made in Russia festival and fairs, promotion on foreign marketplaces, international infrastructure, and other initiatives of the Made in Russia program, REC strengthens the position of Russian goods in foreign markets.
"Any export is good for the development of our country. Without Russian raw materials and without Russian energy, there will be no global development. Therefore, there is nothing to be ashamed of. All these sayings about 'gas station country' and all that nonsense are just dishonest politics. Because Russian oil, Russian gas, metals, gold, platinum, copper contribute to global growth. In order to engage in global high-tech development, Russian goods are needed. For Russia, it is important to be proud that we bring warmth, electricity, wheat, vegetable oil, and much more into homes," Igor Shuvalov, Chairman of VEB.RF.
"Trust in a national brand begins in Russia. We already see this in sales, for example, in retail chains. Today, our consumer increasingly chooses Russian products. The percentage of sales of Russian perfumery and cosmetic products is already quite high, reaching up to 52%, and in household chemicals, for example, it has already approached 100%. This gives us reason to understand that our manufacturers are reaching a level where we can position national goods as a source of pride. Therefore, Veronika Olegovna (Nikishina) and I came to the idea of extending the Made in Russia program to goods for the domestic market. We hope this brand will be recognizable and associated with high-quality goods," Roman Chekushov, State Secretary - Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia.
"The two main conditions for promotion on foreign markets, based on our export experience, are not to compromise on quality and to be more authentic. There is no need to pretend that we are the same. On the contrary, we need to talk more about our own cultural code: who we are, what Russian culture is, "how do we see business and build our own lives?", Sergey Ivanov, Executive Director, EFKO.
Michael Djazara, Executive Vice President, Modena Corporation (Indonesia), noted the friendly nature of Russian-Indonesian relations and emphasized that today is the right time for Russian companies to enter the Indonesian market and the Southeast Asian region as a whole: "The Indonesian market is waiting for Made in Russia products. We have a strong interest in Russian culture. For example, the cartoon Masha and the Bear is very popular in Southeast Asia. We are confident that today, Indonesia should know more about Russia."
Nenad Popovic, Minister of International Economic Relations of Serbia, stated that the Made in Russia brand is a true mark of quality in Serbia and noted the high demand for products from Russia, especially in the fields of technology and pharmaceuticals: "Made in Russia is not just a sign of origin, but a sign of trust."
Maxim Protasov, Head of Roskachestvo, emphasized the importance of product quality and transparency of production processes for strengthening the reputation of Russian manufacturers: "In our country, loyalty to domestic manufacturers is growing, and the Russian origin of products is becoming an unconditional advantage. In order to continue to convey this level of trust and loyalty to exported Russian products, first of all, it is necessary to ensure a high level of quality - both in terms of production and goods themselves. Secondly, it is important to provide support and promotion measures for domestic manufacturers of high-quality goods on foreign markets. One of these most important measures is the agreement between Roskachestvo and REC under which products are verified and certified by Roskachestvo to be awarded the Made in Russia brand and then can be promoted abroad by REC, forming the image of our country as a country with a quality mark."
Ruslan Alisultanov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Health and Nutrition, spoke about the experience of bringing dairy products to foreign markets and forming a sustainable image of the industry abroad. He emphasized the importance of creating global brands with a Russian character and promoting Russia through recognizable characters such as Matroskin.
Yuliana Slashcheva, Head of Soyuzmultfilm and M. Gorky film studio, shared cases of promoting animation projects abroad. She noted the strategic nature of interaction with China, despite the difficulty of entering the local market, as well as the scaling of Russian animation in the Middle East.
Dmitry Sychev, President of Irtysh FC (Omsk), emphasized that sports and culture erase all boundaries, and that sports and business are based on identical principles, including reaching the international level.
According to Alexander Iodchin, First Deputy General Director for Strategy and Development at Delo Group, logistics is part of a comprehensive offer for foreign partners. In recent years, Russian sovereign logistics has been strengthening, covering the entire delivery path - right up to the product reaching the foreign consumer. The quality of services is a component of the strong Made in Russia brand.
Veronika Nikishina, summarizing the session, emphasized: "Forming Russia's image abroad is a joint effort. And our goal is not just to show products, but to tell the world who we are and what we believe in. Through export, culture, sports, and innovation, we convey the image of the country of the future - advanced, reliable, and close."
The session became an important platform for developing new approaches to integrating the Made in Russia brand into the international economic and humanitarian agenda.