Occasionally, Modern Russia will speak to industry experts and analysts to get their views on Russia’s modernization efforts. To launch the series, Modern Russia spoke with John Connor, founder and portfolio manager of the Third Millennium Russia Fund and longtime Russia watcher, who gave his impressions coming out of the 2010 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and President Medvedev’s June visit to the United States. 

What was the atmosphere like at this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF)?