Eurasia Development Group at World Atomic Week

The international World Atomic Week forum — the largest event dedicated to the nuclear and related industries and timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of Russia’s nuclear industry — opened at VDNH in the presence of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

The forum became the largest international platform bringing together representatives of countries developing nuclear programs, government bodies, major companies, public organizations, scientists and entrepreneurs. Guests included President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Acting President of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed, as well as representatives of Iran, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Niger and other countries.

New Financing Formats: Myth or Reality?

As part of the forum, the panel discussion “New Formats for Financing Infrastructure Projects: Myth or Reality?” was held, with the participation of Andrey Prokhorovich, Founder and CEO of Eurasia Development Group (ED Group).

The discussion focused on key challenges and opportunities related to attracting investment into large-scale infrastructure projects amid global economic changes, increasing sanctions pressure and the accelerated green transformation.

Russia-China Investment: New Horizons

Speaking at the session, Andrey Prokhorovich emphasized that one of ED Group’s strategic areas is the development of financing mechanisms for joint projects between Russia and China.

He identified two main areas of work — attracting capital from China to Russia and Russian investment in China. Key instruments include Panda bonds, which can serve as a tool for attracting long-term capital but require comprehensive preparation and coordination with Chinese regulators.

Chinese corporations, he emphasized, are ready to enter Russian projects not only with capital, but also with technologies, EPC contracts and equipment. Joint initiatives in low-carbon ammonia, hydrogen and renewable energy are being discussed particularly actively:

“In the past five months alone, we have received several requests from Chinese companies to build solar power plants in Russia,” Andrey Prokhorovich noted.

Russian investment in China is becoming an equally important area. According to the founder of ED Group, China has made a technological leap in such areas as green technologies, AI, robotics and telecommunications.

“We implement such projects through Chinese VC and QFLP structures,” he noted.

According to Andrey Prokhorovich, Russian companies are also showing growing interest in M&A transactions in China. Such projects, for example in metallurgy, make it possible not only to establish a presence in the Chinese market, but also to gain access to the rapidly growing markets of Southeast Asia.

Key Points from Other Participants in the Discussion

Ilya Rebrov, Deputy Director General for Economics and Finance at Rosatom State Corporation, spoke about the large-scale program for the construction of nuclear power plants, wind farms and waste-management facilities. He emphasized that the development of nuclear energy not only helps address decarbonization objectives, but also ensures the long-term resilience of the economy.

Vyacheslav Bunkov, Head of the Strategic Analysis Center at the Bank of Russia’s Banking Regulation and Analytics Department, noted that in response to new challenges, the regulator had developed a program to stimulate high-tech sectors. In August, the program was expanded to include sustainable development projects, and from 2026 its benefits will also apply to public-private partnership projects, creating incentives for banks to participate more actively in their financing.

Konstantin Pesotsky, Senior Managing Director of the Key Client Lending Department at Sberbank PJSC, identified two principal risks for infrastructure projects — budget overruns and construction timelines. He sees digitalization of processes and the use of AI as solutions. At the same time, even if risks are reduced, the key issue remains the availability of long-term capital.

“Today, less than 3.5% of pension system funds are involved in infrastructure. If appropriate investment mechanisms are created through bonds and refinancing, this will become a driver for the industry’s development,” he noted.

Denis Shulakov, First Vice President of Bank GPB (Gazprombank), highlighted the prospects associated with fine-tuning existing instruments — infrastructure and perpetual bonds, as well as refinancing public-private partnership projects through the capital market.
“The main task is to involve both institutional and private investors in these projects. We need non-standard approaches to make long-term investments attractive,” he noted.

Daniil Algulyan, Deputy Chairman of VEB.RF, drew attention to the prospects in Africa, where infrastructure projects require non-standard financing schemes. He noted strong competition from China, Europe and the United States, but emphasized that Russia can offer comprehensive solutions. He identified renewable energy projects as a particularly promising area.

Dr. Liu Shanxin, Head of ESG Ratings at Sino-Securities Index Information Service (Shanghai), China, noted that ESG factors are becoming a key instrument for reducing the cost of capital. A high rating lowers risks, opens access to green funds and provides regulatory support. As examples, he cited China Three Gorges Corporation, which issues bonds at below-market rates, and Goldwind Technology, which reduced its cost of capital through green bond issuances.

“ESG is no longer simply an addition — it is a direct path to long-term and cheaper financing,” the expert emphasized.

Denis Kutasov, Senior Vice President and Head of the Large Corporate Clients Department at Alfa-Bank JSC, spoke about the prospects for IPOs as an instrument for financing infrastructure projects. According to him, with proper preparation, an IPO can become a source of capital and growth even in capital-intensive industries.

Yaroslav Mandron, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB), reported that over the past three years, development institutions have invested USD 3.5 billion in green energy, including wind and solar projects in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. According to him, the bank actively uses non-sovereign financing mechanisms and raises capital in the Chinese and Gulf markets.
ConclusionsThe discussion showed that, despite limited capital availability and high borrowing costs, a broad range of instruments for supporting infrastructure projects is emerging in Russia and beyond — from Panda bonds and ESG financing to concession bond issuances and IPOs.
The participation of Eurasia Development Group (ED Group) in such discussions confirms the company’s strategic focus on developing international cooperation and identifying optimal investment solutions for major infrastructure initiatives.