MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. Even unfriendly nations, including European companies and businessmen, are showing interest in the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) despite the difficulty they face in standing up to the Anglo-Saxons regarding issues related to sanctions against Russia, Anton Kobyakov, Adviser to the Russian President, Executive Secretary of the Forum’s Organizing Committee, said in an interview with TASS ahead of the event.

"Interest is traditionally high. First and foremost, this comes from Asia-Pacific countries, including some that are formally classified as unfriendly. However, there are also European businessmen and companies [that are interested]," he said.

Specific figures and facts regarding individual businessmen or countries are a relative matter, Kobyakov noted. "Many Western companies have long operated just like Russian ones. Some parts of their businesses based on tacit understandings with their own governments continue to operate in Russia while trying to avoid drawing the attention of Russophobes in their home countries. Certain nations classified as unfriendly simply cannot challenge the Anglo-Saxons on the issue of sanctions. They appear as part of the unfriendly bloc, but in reality, they simply have no choice," he noted.

The Eastern Economic Forum will be held September 1-4 in Vladivostok on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University. The main theme of this year’s EEF is "The Far East: Development for the Benefit of People." The event is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Russian government. TASS is its general information partner.