This is CBSI on the world. I'm John Batchel. To Petersburg, to Anatol, even at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, traveling in Russia.

Anatole, a very good day to you. Before we come to your conduct there, I'm keen on the weather turning in autumn, looking to another winter

in Moscow and Petersburg. How is your weather? It's been what we call Indian summer in the east

coast of the United States. It's the same here. The weather is beautiful. During the day,

you don't need a coat, which is pretty

extraordinary for October in Russia in the past. But that's climate change for you. It still gets

a bit chilly at night and in the early morning. Yes, and we'll have our Northeastern now and

again. Now to business, you attended the Valdai conference. They held every year, I believe, in Petersburg.

And the president of the Russian Federation, Mr. Putin, addressed the audience and took questions, I believe.

What was the general impression of the audience and what was the themes that Mr. Putin spoke to?

Thank you.

Good evening.

It was actually in Sochi on the Black Sea, where they have this huge hotel that they need to fill

and also where Putin spends much of his time, apparently, at his villa.

There were far fewer Westerners, of course, than in the past than before the war.

And by the same token, there were more Indians, more Chinese, a few more Chinese,

Brazilians, I mean, you know, the Bricks group and Africans.

So, you know, very much illustrative of Russia's attempt to,

you know, woo what they call the global majority and, you know, we call the global south.

As to the main lessons

I mean

Putin of course

...