On November 21, 2025, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a roundtable, “The Arctic as a Magnet for Non-Regional Actors.”
Experts discussed the key interests of non-Arctic states in the region, paying particular attention to the current state of cooperation within the Arctic Council, the work of its various working groups, and potential avenues for collaboration between Arctic and non-Arctic countries through other multilateral initiatives. Speakers also examined the interests of China and India in the Arctic and the prospects for Russia’s engagement with them and other partners in the region.
A significant part of the discussion focused on risks and challenges facing Russia in the Arctic, particularly issues of national security, the growing military and political activity of NATO countries in the region, and other topics on the current agenda.
On November 21, 2025, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) hosted a roundtable, “The Arctic as a Magnet for Non-Regional Actors.”
Experts discussed the key interests of non-Arctic states in the region, paying particular attention to the current state of cooperation within the Arctic Council, the work of its various working groups, and potential avenues for collaboration between Arctic and non-Arctic countries through other multilateral initiatives. Speakers also examined the interests of China and India in the Arctic and the prospects for Russia’s engagement with them and other partners in the region.
A significant part of the discussion focused on risks and challenges facing Russia in the Arctic, particularly issues of national security, the growing military and political activity of NATO countries in the region, and other topics on the current agenda.
Participants included:
-
Elena Karpinskaya, RIAC Director of Programs
-
Natalia Vyakhireva, Head of the Canada Department, Institute for U.S. and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS)
-
Andrey Krivorotov, Acting Head of the Department of Innovation Management, Odintsovo Branch of MGIMO; Senior Research Fellow, Institute of China and Contemporary Asia, RAS
-
Maria Lagutina, Professor, Department of World Politics, St. Petersburg State University
-
Daryana Maksimova, Head of the Department for International Cooperation with Arctic Countries, North-Eastern Federal University (NEFU), Yakutsk
-
Ekaterina Serova, Deputy Director, Arctic Center; Senior Lecturer, Department of Foreign History, Petrozavodsk State University
-
Elena Kienko, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for International Studies (IIS), MGIMO
-
Nikita Lipunov, Junior Research Fellow, IIS MGIMO
-
Konstantin Sukhoverkhov, RIAC Program Manager
