Committee on Foreign Affairs

According to the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Federation Council is the upper chamber of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. Each of the 85 federal entities of Russia has two representatives in the Federation Council, making up a total of 170 members. 

There are ten committees established in the Federation Council, including the Committee on Foreign Affairs (Комитет Совета Федерации по международным делам). The responsibilities of the Committee include legislative support to the foreign policy vector of the Russian Federation, meeting international obligations, ratification of international agreements and consulting, developing integration processes in terms of the Commonwealth of Independent States and developing cooperation with the Parliaments of other states. 

The Committee on Foreign Affairs is the leading one in the Federation Council on the issues related to Georgia and its occupied regions, being actively involved in legislative and informational support of the Kremlin’s policies towards Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region. The members of the Committee often host de facto leaders of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, as well as their representatives and also often pay visits to the occupied Georgian regions themselves.

According to October 2018 data, the Committee consists of 13 members.