The Council for Foreign and Defense Policy (SWAP) is a non-governmental public association founded on February 25, 1992 in Moscow by a group of politicians, business association leaders, businessmen, public and state figures, representatives of the power ministries, military-industrial complex, science and mass media information.
The organization’s mission is to help develop and implement strategic concepts for Russia’s development, its foreign and defense policy, the formation of the Russian state and civil society in the country.
Being committed to national interests and democratic values, SWAP solves the tasks set, guided by the principles of responsibility, non-partisanship, freedom of opinion and independence of assessments, balanced and objective approach to national strategy issues.
Forms of daily work of SWAP are regular informal meetings of Council members; holding conferences, seminars, organizing research projects, informational, educational and lobbying activities.
SWAP carries out its activities in close cooperation with a number of parliamentary and governmental bodies: the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Committees of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and the Council of Federation on Foreign Affairs and Defense; other power ministries and departments; with academic institutes and leading analytical centers in Russia and abroad.
Financial support for the Council’s activities is provided through sponsorship fees, grants, donations from individuals and non-governmental organizations.