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19–21 May 2025
ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre, St. Petersburg
To participants and guests of the 13th St Petersburg International Legal Forum
Friends,
Welcome to the 13th St Petersburg International Legal Forum, which this year is being held under the motto ‘The Law: Lessons of the Past for the World of the Future.’
As is the tradition, you will be discussing a wide range of topical legal issues, most of which are directly related to the development of the system of international relations, as well as prospects for improving and harmonising national legal systems.
Today, amidst an actively emerging multipolar world order, one of the top priorities is to fine tune global governance institutions and collective security mechanisms so that they meet the demands of the time and work for the benefit of progress and prosperity. Such work should be based on positive historical experience and a mutual willingness to understand and take into account the lessons of the past. And of course, it is only through joint efforts that can we create a space of trust and cooperation based on the principles of equality of state sovereignty and respect for the cultural patterns and traditions of all peoples.
I am certain that the ideas and proposals expressed on the sidelines of the forum will help develop new legislative initiatives and will contribute to the development of legal science and education.
I wish the Forum participants and guests productive discussions and professional success.
Vladimir Putin
About the Forum
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5 600
Forum
participants
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from 80
countries
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23
foreign
ministers
-
more than
120
business programm
events
Data indicated for 2025
St. Petersburg International Legal Forum will serve as a major platform for dialogue among members of the legal, business, political and law-enforcement communities. It will address a wide range of issues focusing on how law can better serve the interests of people and businesses. It will also address improvements to law-enforcement practices, the promotion of legislative initiatives to strengthen the legal culture, and socioeconomic-related regulation in today’s world.
The Forum is held by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and the Roscongress Foundation, in accordance with Russian Presidential Decree No. 55 dated 15 February 2022.
“Despite the fact that this anniversary edition of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum is taking place at a difficult time, I am convinced it will again serve as an important event which will yield tangible results as participants discuss the most pressing issues facing the legal field today. Protecting the interests and rights of people by law has invariably been a crucial and highly responsible undertaking, as has the strengthening and development of Russia’s public and democratic institutions. It is my hope that all participants of the 10th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum will benefit from holding substantive discussions on all these issues in relation to Russian and international law.”
“The Forum offers an excellent opportunity to discuss key issues of a legal nature which are closely intertwined with political, economic, and social aspects. Today’s reality, with its external constraints, calls for new ideas, perspectives, and solutions. A number of specific legal positions also needs to take shape. The scope here is incredibly wide, and there is good potential to find ways of transforming and improving the legal norms which regulate various aspects of social relations, including those which fall under criminal law. This is particularly the case in terms of developing law-enforcement and judicial practice with regard to the crimes of the Ukrainian regime against the peaceful inhabitants of the Donbas. It is similarly crucial that assistance is provided to these young republics to enable them to build effective legal systems. And the quality of the result depends on us.”
“Today, the very concept of international law has been completely discredited and is in need of an overhaul. In order to build international relations on a set of new principles – which Russia insists should be equality, respect for a nation’s sovereignty, and a consideration of national interests while unreservedly complying with the norms of international law – there needs to be a transformation of the international justice system. In taking on a leading role in the movement to overhaul international relations, Russia has tasked itself with putting forward a set of fundamental principles and specifying the aims of such a transformation. In light of this, I believe it to be possible and even essential to establish an alternative international court of human rights – one which is not politicized, and which is independent from any influence from participants, Russia included. Above all, though, it should genuinely work to protect human rights.”
“International law is demonstrating a growing trend for fragmentation. As crises increasingly loom, so international relations suffer, and the stable international system of law and order is threatened. The international community needs to focus on revitalizing international law by resuming conciliatory approaches. There needs to be a doctrine which avoids dogmatic and unproductive approaches to ways in which familiar categories are considered. Instead, it should focus on searching for patterns applicable to the development of international law in the turbulent environment of international relations today. It should also focus on progressive development strategies which are based on respect for moral imperatives and the advancement of basic imperative principles governing international law.”
