The Nordic Council of Ministers attaches great importance to close co-operation with Russia and especially to the regions of Northwest Russia. The co-operation focuses on strengthening democratic social development, strengthening cross-border contacts and improving conditions for economic co-operation and trade. Other central areas for co-operation are education, research, innovation and the environment, climate and energy. The Nordic Council of Ministers also wants to use co-operation with Russia to develop the Baltic Sea Region into a dynamic European region.

The Nordic Council of Ministers' Guidelines for 2009-2013 form the basis of co-operation with Northwest Russia and were approved by the ministers for co-operation in the autumn of 2008.

The Nordic Council of Ministers' instruments for co-operation with Russia include: the Knowledge and Networking Programme, participation in the Northern Dimension's Partnership, co-operation with NGOs (the NGO programme), cross-border co-operation, co-operation through the Nordic institutions as well as co-operation with other regional players such as the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, the Council of the Baltic Sea States and the Arctic Council.

The implementation of projects and other activities are mainly carried out by the Nordic Council of Ministers Offices in St. Petersburg  and Kaliningrad.

The Information Offices co-operate with the Council of Ministers' Secretariat in Copenhagen to identify development opportunities for Nordic-Russian co-operation. The Information Offices have also close co-operation with the Nordic embassies.

Nordic Council of Ministers Offices in St. Petersburg

Nordic Council of Ministers Offices in Kaliningrad

Guidelines for the Nordic Council of Ministers' Co-operation with Northwest Russia 2009-2013 pdf