Putin touts Russian economy, says Ukraine’s president is ‘shame to Jewish people’

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — President Vladimir Putin is touting Russia’s prospects at the country’s main international economic forum despite heavy international sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine. Western officials and investors steered clear of this year’s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that for decades has been Russia’s premier event for attracting foreign capital and is sometimes likened to the Davos World Economic Forum. The Kremlin earlier also banned journalists from countries that Russia regards as “unfriendly” from covering the proceedings that began Wednesday and continue through Saturday. Moscow has imposed that designation on scores of countries including the United States and European Union members in connection with sanctions imposed over the fighting in Ukraine.