Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov published a major analysis of the Arctic in Arctic.ru, both Russia’s development of the region with support from many nations, and the effort to subvert that by the West. He begins: “The Foundations of the Russian State Policy in the Arctic for the Period up to 2035, approved by President Vladimir Putin, focus the efforts of all government bodies on improving the quality of life for the population of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, promoting economic growth in its territories, protecting the environment, and fostering mutually beneficial international cooperation.” He notes that many countries are cooperating in that process, especially China and India.
Concerning India, Lavrov said that related issues were discussed during a recent meeting of the Russian-Indian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation. “Indian corporations are involved in developing the resource potential of Russia’s Arctic region. According to some experts, the Arctic could become a major area of cooperation between Russia and India over the next 20 years.”
Apart from this, “there are prospects for interaction in the Far North with Brazil, Indonesia, Iran, and other BRICS countries,” Lavrov wrote
Lavrov adds: “We are open to interaction with all constructively minded foreign countries displaying reciprocal readiness to put these ideas into practice. There are quite a few such countries. The vast resource, transport, and logistics potential of the Far North, its unique natural and climatic features, long-standing traditions of regional cooperation, and the rich cultural heritage of its indigenous peoples offer broad opportunities for advantageous partnership.”
But, he warns: NATO countries, as well as the Alliance as a whole, are driving the region towards militarization and creating hotbeds of international tension there: “In February 2026, NATO launched its Arctic Sentry operation, designed to expand its military presence in the High North. Intensive military preparations are underway in close proximity to our northern borders. NATO is conducting large-scale military exercises involving non-regional countries and introducing new components of its command-and-control system. Such military activity in the Far North poses a direct threat to Russia’s security. It also increases the risk of incidents that could trigger an armed confrontation with potentially disastrous consequences.”
Lavrov points to the West’s virtual shut down of the several organizations which monitored and developed the cooperation in the Arctic, in particular the Arctic Council, which until recently was one of the few international institutions in which Russia and the NATO nations had functioning cooperation. He writes: “NATO members and other Western countries make no secret of their true motives, openly declaring their intention to turn the Arctic into a new front for opposing the development of Russia and its like-minded partners. One manifestation of the West’s anti-Russian policy has been the disruption of previously effective mechanisms of multilateral cooperation in the Far North. Some have ceased to exist altogether, while others have largely lost their relevance without Russia’s participation, after Moscow was forced to suspend its engagement with them in response to hostile actions. The Arctic Council, established almost 30 years ago, on September 19, 1996, remains the only functioning intergovernmental organization. The Council is approaching its anniversary in a shape that is far from ideal. Since March 2022, as a result of actions by its Western member states, its work has effectively been frozen, leaving the organization in a severe crisis. Ministerial meetings and sessions of its key coordinating body, the Senior Arctic Officials, have been suspended, while its capacity to implement projects has been significantly curtailed.”
He strongly calls on the West to restore cooperation in the Far North, for the benefit of all nations. Mob, rap
