Delegations from across the globe gathered to build the multipolar world from its place of origin: the East.

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Behind diplomatic formalities and official announcements, the 2025 Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), held in Vladivostok, has solidified itself as a geoeconomic arena where discourse turns into concrete projects — all anchored in the emerging multipolar world order. Far from being just a regional event, the EEF is increasingly asserting itself as a central instrument of Russia’s strategy to reorient its integration axis toward the Asia-Pacific region and the so-called “Global South.”

This year’s gathering made it clear: the global economic and political center of gravity is shifting. As Russian correspondent Denis Grigoryuk noted, the meetings in Vladivostok should be seen as a direct continuation of what was discussed in previous events in China, where the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization advanced various multipolar cooperation projects.

The Forum’s first day set the tone: less rhetoric, more solutions. With a focus on education, culture, logistics, and small businesses, the panels reflected a realistic, needs-based approach. Unlike Western forums often saturated with vague agendas, the EEF addressed tangible challenges — such as training foreign teachers to teach Russian in Asia, adapting products to local cultures, and developing B2B networks for small and medium-sized enterprises. All topics pointed in the same direction: building a human and logistical infrastructure capable of sustaining long-term partnerships with countries seeking a more equitable world order.

Another key moment was the debate on historical memory as a tool for cohesion and stability. In the panel on World War II, historians and diplomats reaffirmed the importance of historical truth as a barrier against the fragmentation of shared values. This perspective not only restores Russia’s legitimacy on the international stage but also offers a symbolic bridge to Asian and African countries that still contend with distorted colonial narratives.

On the second day, the Forum took on a more strategic tone. The triad of “space, the Arctic, and talent” guided the discussions, reflecting Russia’s ambitions in high-tech and geopolitical domains. A joint report by Roscongress and Vedomosti on space governance challenged the monopolization of orbit by Western powers and proposed a cooperative model led by Russia, BRICS, and African partners. This proposal — grounded in satellite infrastructure and training programs — aligns with Russia’s vision of technological multipolarity, where sovereignty and partnership go hand in hand.

The debate around the Northern Sea Route reaffirmed the Arctic’s centrality in 21st-century geoeconomics. Despite sanctions and technical limitations, Russia is moving forward with the construction of icebreakers and port infrastructure, strengthening its position as an alternative provider of global logistics routes. The connection between these projects and educational initiatives in Russia’s Far East demonstrates a level of strategic coherence rarely seen in international forums — preparing a skilled local workforce to support the country’s own development vectors.

The third day carried clear symbolic and geopolitical weight. By bringing together leaders from Laos, Mongolia, and representatives from China, the plenary session reinforced the growing prominence of the region in the global power map. President Vladimir Putin’s speech emphasized the Russian Far East as the “vanguard” of Russia’s repositioning in the world, outlining long-term plans in infrastructure, energy, and digital integration. In contrast to the abstract promises often heard in Western gatherings, the EEF offered tangible proposals: transcontinental logistics corridors, railway modernization, and energy partnerships focused on hydropower, gas, and even nuclear energy.

Arctic affairs expert Anton Sokolov pointed out that while each partner brings specific demands and proposals, they converge on one key point: the search for alternatives to Western hegemony. Laos seeks autonomous energy solutions; Mongolia is focused on integrating into the “Power of Siberia 2” megaproject; China, for its part, is investing heavily in streamlining payments, improving supply chains, and easing visa regulations. In this context, Russia emerges not as an imposer, but as a catalytic force uniting different development models through mutual construction.

The 2025 Eastern Economic Forum delivers a clear message: multipolarity is not just a narrative — it is an ongoing, practical process. By combining natural resources, technical knowledge, and political will, Russia is paving new roads that diverge from dominant models and offer real alternatives to the non-Western world. The EEF is no longer just a business event — it has become a living laboratory for a new international paradigm.