The Arms Control and Disarmament Centre (ACDC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) hosted a wide-ranging Roundtable Discussion with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov. He is visiting Pakistan at the head of a high-level delegation for the 15th round of Pakistan-Russia Consultative Group on Strategic Stability.
The session at the ISSI aimed at exchanging views on a range of subjects including arms control, regional stability, and multilateral cooperation. Other members of the Russian delegation included Russia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Albert Khorev and senior Foreign Ministry officials. Participants from the ISSI included Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General ISSI; Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BoG; and members of the ACDC and CSP teams. Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director ACDC, moderated the session.
Eminent Pakistani diplomats, practitioners, academics, area experts, and members of think-tanks focusing on strategic issues attended. Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi, Additional Foreign Secretary (ACDIS), also joined the discussion.
In his welcome remarks, DG ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood highlighted the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Russia relations, marked by cordiality and enhanced mutual understanding; the common desire for deeper bilateral collaboration in myriad domains; and a shared interest in regional stability as well as an equitable multipolar global order. He also highlighted the important contribution being made by bilateral mechanisms like the Pakistan-Russia Consultative Group on Strategic Stability and underscored the growing Pakistan-Russia convergence as well as their common endeavors in multilateral fora on subjects of common interest. Furthermore, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to nuclear responsibility, non-discriminatory arms control, and strategic stability in South Asia, including Islamabad’s proposal for a ‘Strategic Restraint Regime.’ Amid global flux and geopolitical shifts, he emphasized the importance of enhanced consultations and cooperation among countries sharing similar views and outlooks.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov, in his remarks, underscored the importance Russia attaches to its relations with Pakistan and the various bilateral and multilateral processes that enable the two countries to foster closer collaboration. In his comprehensive expose, he shared Russia’s perspective on international security, strategic stability at global and regional levels, non-proliferation, arms control, disarmament, and major security hotspots around the globe.
During the wide-ranging interactive discussion, participants shared perspectives on regional security dynamics; strategic stability; developments in Europe, the Middle East, and Afghanistan; arms control and disarmament issues; and the implications of emerging technologies, including AI, hypersonic weapons, and cyber capabilities. It was emphasized that Pakistan and Russia share converging interests in fostering a multipolar global order rooted in sovereign equality and mutual respect. Both sides acknowledged the importance of sustained dialogue, institutional linkages, and deepened cooperation across economic, security, and academic and think-tank domains to address common challenges. It was underscored that Pakistan and Russia must continue to deepen strategic communication and enhance collaboration in all areas of common interest.
