ABSTRACT
The 2006 G8 summit was crucial in many ways for global governance. Its hosting marked a breakthrough in the expansion of the G7 beyond the traditional like-minded countries. The St. Petersburg Summit demonstrated the fundamental break with the bipolar architecture associated with the Cold War. In participation, however, the 2006 summit revealed more continuity than change. As in several previous summits, St. Petersburg put a heavy onus on opening up the process beyond the core membership. Although this was not always done robustly (with invitations to the big emerging countries coming late), it did not reverse the trends toward expanding the G8 in its outreach in state or non-state (via a forum of non-governmental organizations [NGOs]). The creation of the Civil 8 as well as the many other groupings stood out. So did the attention and participation Russia gave to the United Nations system, most notably a good number of specialized agencies. Such a focus reflected the priorities that Russia showcased.
