During a meeting dedicated to the development of the region, the president stressed that Russia created special economic conditions to boost joint work, with preferences for Russian and foreign companies.

“Under the current circumstances, extra-regional states and associations should also participate more vigorously in cooperation in the Arctic. There will be enough work for everyone,” he said, according to the official Kremlin website.

Putin stressed that those who are interested, just like Russia, in the sustainable development of this unique region, will be offered joint work.

“We do not see the Arctic as a field of geopolitical intrigue, but as a territory of dialogue, stability and constructive cooperation,” he said.

According to the head of state, the execution of the projects in the Russian Arctic should not be delayed by the economic sanctions imposed on the country but, on the contrary, the pace of their implementation should be accelerated.

“We must respond to attempts to slow down our development by maximizing the pace of work on both current and future tasks,” he said.

mh/llp/mem/mml