Karelia continues to successfully develop foreign trade, international and interregional relations
Despite the challenging global geopolitical situation, in 2025, the Republic of Karelia increased its exports of regionally produced goods to foreign markets.
In 2025, the Karelian enterprises continued to actively enter foreign markets. Business missions and participation in international exhibitions and congresses allowed the business representatives to participate in 25 events held in the United Arab Emirates, China, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Türkiye, and the Russian Federation. These formats strengthened the export opportunities and expanded the partnership geography.
Today, the Karelian main trading partners are China, Belarus, India, Egypt, and Türkiye. Together, these countries account for over 76% of the Karelian total foreign trade turnover.
Over the course of the year, the Republic continued to strengthen its international regulatory framework. Two memorandums of understanding were signed (with the Northern Cape Province of South Africa and with the Abay Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan). Two action plans for cooperation development were also signed: with the Andijan Region of the Republic of Uzbekistan (for 2025-2028) and with the Republic of Belarus (for 2026-2028).
The concluded documents form the basis for further joint development in the areas of industry, science, tourism, agriculture, and cultural interaction.
– The work in this area has yielded certain results. For example, the volume of the exports from small and medium-sized businesses supported by the Karelia Export Support Center Foundation has tripled from $3.6 million in 2020 to $11.4 million in 2025, – noted Oleg Ermolayev, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of the Government of the Republic of Karelia.
This year, Karelia also became a platform for dialogue with the representatives of the diplomatic corps. In 2025, the region was visited by Dauren Abayev, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation; Dmitry Mikhno, the Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in St. Petersburg; Igor Malashevich, the Deputy Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Belarus; Nikolai Rogozhnik, the Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in St. Petersburg; Abdurakhmon Makhmudov, the Consul General of the Republic of Uzbekistan in St. Petersburg; and Ms. Lu Xiaojun, the Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Russian Federation.
The visits of the high-ranking representatives contributed to strengthening of political and business ties, discussion of joint projects, and search for new formats for interregional cooperation.
In January, the Head of the Republic of Karelia Artur Parfenchikov met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to the Russian Federation Alexander Rogozhnik to discuss the supply of the Karelian products and the events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Victory Day. In February, a representative delegation of the Belarusian mechanical engineering and food processing companies visited Petrozavodsk including “BelAZ”, “MAZ”, “Mogilevliftmash”, “MTZ”, “Belkommunmash”, “Amkodor-Onego”, “Bellesexport”, and others. The talks focused on developing cooperation and expanding mutual supplies. Following the visit, agreements were reached on the supply of firefighting robots and processed wild plant products to Belarus.
In November 2025, a business mission from the Republic of Karelia to the Republic of Belarus took place. The visit resulted in signing of several key international documents: a cooperation plan between Karelia and Belarus for 2026–2028; an agreement between the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Karelia and the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange; and an agreement between the Karelian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Republican Forest Breeding and Seed Center. The signed documents cement the transition to systemic, multi-sectoral cooperation — from industry and trade to science, tourism, and healthcare.
