The Russian International Affairs Council was founded on orders of then-President Dmitry Medvedev to contribute to Russia's soft power efforts.

[4] It operates as a link between the state, scholar community, business, and civil society in an effort to find foreign policy solutions to current international issues.

The RIAC mission is to facilitate Russia's peaceful integration into the global community, partly through greater cooperation between Russian scientific institutions and foreign think tanks/scholars on major international issues.

The council's strategic mission is to facilitate communication between government officials and experts, as well as business and civil communities when elaborating foreign policy decisions.

RIAC's Activities are aimed at assisting practical research in global politics and international relations, which will contribute to the implementation of Russia's foreign policy interests and the establishment of mechanisms for their advancement.