‘The Arctic and Antarctica in a Changing World’ Roundtable Addresses International Cooperation in Northern Latitudes

Participants in the roundtable ‘The Arctic and Antarctica in a Changing World’, which took place in St. Petersburg, discussed prospects for multilateral and international cooperation given the growing interest among foreign countries in cooperation with Russia in the Arctic. The event brought together Russian and global experts on international relations, political science, and polar research, as well as teachers from specialized universities and public organizations.

“We are pursuing a multi-vector policy of cooperation in the northern latitudes. We are ready for dialogue with all countries, including those outside the region, which share a constructive approach to collaboration in the interests of the sustainable development of the Arctic. We see that the interest of foreign partners in developing cooperation with Russia in the region is not waning at the present stage. We view states of the Persian Gulf and Latin America as promising non-regional partners for our country in the Arctic, along with our traditional partners China and India,” said Nikolay Korchunov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Arctic Senior Officials.

The goal of the event was to pool efforts and exchange experience and research results to find solutions to key issues of regional cooperation, as well as new areas and formats of international cooperation in the polar regions. During the event, experts paid special attention to scientific diplomacy in the polar regions, the industrial development of the Arctic zone, and cultural potential.

“We understand that we exist in a global world and that international cooperation in the circumpolar regions is a natural state of development of human culture. And we will do everything in our power to maintain this cooperation and make its results the heritage of all people, and particularly those who live in the Arctic today,” said Yulia Kupina, Director of the Russian Museum of Ethnography.

The roundtable ‘The Arctic and Antarctica in a Changing World’ was held as part of Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2021–2023. The event was organized by the Centre for Arctic Research and Projects of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration and the Association of Polar Explorers of St. Petersburg together with the Project Office for Arctic Development and the Russian Museum of Ethnography.