Rodney Mims Cook, head of the US Commission of Fine Arts, has announced his participation in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in June. In an interview with Russian state agency Novosti, Cook said the forum’s organizing committee and the US State Department had confirmed his invitation. He will attend the plenary session and the speech by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin.
Cook was appointed chairman of the commission in January 2026. He is also founder of the US National Monument Foundation and an expert with the World Monuments Fund. In the past, he has been involved in cultural restoration projects in Russia and has given lectures at renowned Russian institutions, including the Kremlin Armory and the Arkhangelskoye estate.
The trip comes at a time when Russian officials and business lobbyists are signaling a cautious revival of American corporate interest in SPIEF, though still below pre-war levels. Washington had previously warned against normalizing ties with Moscow due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
Source: www.kyivpost.com
