MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. Russia intends to develop the Northern Sea Route (NSR), particularly with the participation of interested foreign partners, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with government members on Wednesday.

"We should think about the future; the Northern Sea Route is opening, this is obvious. Colleagues just spoke about climate change, like it or not, it is happening," he said.

"There exist respective plans for the development of the Northern Sea Route, particularly with our foreign partners that, as I have repeatedly said already, want to develop relations with Russia and show interest in this activity, the work on the Northern Sea Route," the president added.

Overall, Putin referred to the issue of the NSR’s development as extremely important for Russia. "Regular service of a nuclear-powered container ship has already been launched, and a second nuclear icebreaker, the Ural, has been commissioned," he noted.