First Russia-Mongolia Regional Forum Concludes in Irkutsk, Strengthening Bilateral Ties

Inaugural Forum Fosters Deeper Cooperation

Irkutsk, Russian Federation – The first-ever Forum of Regions of Russia and Mongolia successfully concluded on December 2, 2025, in Irkutsk, following two days of intensive discussions aimed at bolstering bilateral economic cooperation and strengthening inter-regional ties. The event, held from December 1-2, 2025, gathered over 300 participants from 14 regions across both nations.

The official delegations were led by Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk and Mongolia's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy and Development, Jadambyn Enkhbayar. Both officials inaugurated the forum's plenary meeting, emphasizing the growing dynamism of Russian-Mongolian interaction, which has been significantly incentivized by regular meetings between President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh.

Key Agreements and Economic Outlook

A significant outcome of the forum was the signing of the Middle-Term Programme of Action for the Development of Inter-Regional Cooperation between Russia and Mongolia for the period from 2026 through 2030. This comprehensive program outlines over 120 events across various sectors of interaction between constituent entities of the Russian Federation and Mongolian aimaks. Additionally, the Irkutsk Region, the Republic of Buryatia, and the Republic of Tuva signed several inter-regional cooperation agreements with their Mongolian counterparts.

Discussions also centered on the implementation of the June 2025 Interim Trade Agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Mongolia. This agreement is expected to significantly boost bilateral trade and create more favorable conditions for commodity producers, offering Mongolian companies opportunities for duty-free trade within the EAEU market of 200 million consumers. Deputy Prime Minister Overchuk highlighted the importance of addressing non-tariff barriers, including customs regulation, sanitary, veterinary, and phyto-sanitary oversight, and technical regulation and standardization, to further facilitate cross-border trade.

Bilateral trade between Russia and Mongolia has shown robust growth, with a surge of 17.8 percent in 2024. During the first nine months of 2025, trade continued its upward trajectory, increasing by another 5 percent to reach $2 billion. Another report indicated that trade reached $2.6 billion in 2024, with a 4.2 percent increase in the first half of 2025.

Future Prospects and Regional Connectivity

The forum also addressed broader strategic initiatives, including strengthening regional connectivity within the framework of the Russia – Mongolia – China economic corridor and upgrading infrastructure at checkpoints along the Russian-Mongolian border. Russia's crucial role in ensuring Mongolia's energy security through uninterrupted supplies of petrochemical products was also acknowledged.

Beyond economic discussions, the forum incorporated cultural and humanitarian events, underscoring the civilizational connectivity between the two peoples. As a gesture of shared history, Alexei Overchuk and Jadambyn Enkhbayar laid flowers at the Eternal Flame of Glory memorial complex in Irkutsk. Looking ahead, the second Forum of Regions of Russia and Mongolia is scheduled to take place in Mongolia in 2026, signaling a continued commitment to this new platform for cooperation.