MOSCOW, September 18. /TASS/. Maintaining peace and security in the Arctic is a priority for Russia, which is ready for constructive cooperation, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of European Problems Vladislav Maslennikov said at a briefing.
"Regardless of external factors, maintaining peace and stability in the North and ensuring safe conditions for effective social, economic and technological development of Russia’s Arctic Zone remain an absolute priority for Russia," he said.
Maslennikov noted that as the largest Arctic power, Russia has all the capabilities needed to independently develop and ensure the security of its Arctic Zone and accomplish national objectives in the Arctic but this does not rule out the development of international cooperation.
"This does not mean that we will deliberately reject mutually beneficial international cooperation if it is based on a desire for honest dialogue and the search for joint solutions to common problems in the Arctic, as well as respect for the rights and interests of our country. We remain consistently open to cooperation with all foreign partners that show a reciprocal willingness to engage in constructive joint work," he added.
