In 2026, the 3rd annual economic forum “Russia-Balkans in the Architecture of a Multipolar World: Prospects for Economic Integration” will be held in Moscow. It will be held over two days: a plenary session on March 13, and a unique strategic session on interaction between Russian and Balkan regions on March 14. Representatives from four Balkan states, Eastern European countries, and sixteen Russian regions have confirmed their participation in the forum. The project was organized by a partnership between the ANO Center for International Cooperation “Russian-Balkan Dialogue” and the Russian-Balkan Center for Business Cooperation and Culture.
Representatives from Serbia, Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), North Macedonia, and Croatia have already confirmed their participation, as have representatives from the following Russian regions: Kaliningrad Oblast, Tula Oblast, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Donetsk People’s Republic, Rostov Oblast, the Republic of Crimea, Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Ivanovo Oblast, Lipetsk Oblast, Pskov Oblast, Chelyabinsk Oblast, St. Petersburg, Leningrad Oblast, Tver Oblast, and Vladimir Oblast. Eastern Europe will also be represented at the forum, with representatives from the Czech Republic having registered.
The event’s main topics will cover various aspects of Russia’s relations with its Balkan partners: logistics challenges in bilateral cooperation amid Western sanctions, Russia’s potential as a center of modern expertise in digitalization and new technologies, prospects for localizing successful Balkan business projects in Russian regions, and other pressing issues. The forum has been held since 2024 and has already established itself as one of the leading international platforms for discussing economic and humanitarian issues in Russian-Balkan cooperation. Over 200 delegates from regions of the Russian Federation, the Balkan states, and Eastern European countries have participated in the events, including representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, businesses, public figures, politicians, educators, and media executives and members of the media. Last year, over 100 people from more than 15 Russian regions, the Balkans, and Eastern Europe participated in the forum.
