The Session will bring together a high-level international contingent of foreign policy experts, business representatives, scholars, journalists, and government officials to focus on the following questions concerning Russia's future:

• How will the elections shift power in Russia?
• Will democratic developments and reforms of governance structures have taken a stronger foothold in twelve years?
• To what extent will the Russian economy remain based on resource extraction or will it diversify and more fully integrate into the global economy?
• What are the trends in the energy sector?
• What are the demographic projections for Russia in 2020 and how will demographics influence Russia's national and regional identities and its immigration policies?
• How Russia will deal with ethnic and religious challenges from Chinese influx into a Russia Far East to growing Muslim population?
• How will Russia develop in scientific, technological, and military terms?
• What will guide Russia's policies toward its neighboring countries, the Middle East, the Far East, Asia, the European Union and the United States?