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Established as part of the Maritime Board of the Russian Federation, the Council for Defending the National Interests of the Russian Federation in the Arctic held its first meeting, with Presidential Aide and Maritime Board Chairman Nikolai Patrushev and the Council’s head, Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Russia – Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev acting as its co-chairs.

The agenda covered matters dealing with analysing and identifying national security threats in the Arctic, assessing the current state and development of international affairs in the Arctic, including the military and political landscape there, as well as efforts to gauge the social and economic situation in the Russian Arctic.

Accelerating efforts to develop the Arctic economy and its infrastructure, while ensuring that Russia retains the ability to fully control its Arctic territory, the Arctic shelf and the Northern Sea Route are among the main priorities in terms of the country’s national maritime policy. This was the message the participants in the meeting emphasised.

They went on to draft proposals designed to build new shipyards and develop technology for building ice-class cargo ships. There was a special focus on the need to ensure that foreign-made hardware and equipment remains operational, while also creating new classes of products domestically, fast-tracking efforts to develop Russian technological solutions in drilling, geological exploration, building ships and vessels, and expanding Arctic infrastructure.

On a special note, participants discussed additional measures to improve Arctic development capabilities through science and technology. Their proposals consisted of exploring whether drafting a technological development programme for the Arctic would be advisable.

In addition, speakers at the meeting talked about creating product and technology development pipelines for the Arctic region. They highlighted the importance of fundamental and inter-disciplinary applied research regarding the operation of equipment and materials, the way northern ecosystems work and people live in the harsh Arctic climate.

The overall mission of the Council for Defending the National Interests of the Russian Federation consists of fulfilling the Maritime Board’s objectives to devise measures aimed at implementing the state maritime policy in the Arctic.