Norway has been chosen to host the United Nations' Internet Governance Forum (IGF) next year, beating out Russia’s bid.

The five-day forum, scheduled for June 2025, will be the largest UN meeting ever hosted in Norway, according to a statement released by Norwegian authorities on Monday. The IGF is expected to welcome around 4,000 in-person participants and an equal number of virtual attendees.

First launched almost twenty years ago, the IGF brings together representatives from government, the private sector, civil society and academia to discuss public policy issues related to the internet.

“Norway is committed to ensuring an open, safe, and free internet for all,” the country’s authorities said. “In an era when some countries seek to restrict online freedoms, it is more vital than ever for nations like Norway to engage in discussions and negotiations around the frameworks governing the internet.”

Norway and Russia were both candidates to host the forum, with Moscow expecting to secure the bid. In 2020, Russia’s digital ministry called it “a great honor and evidence of recognition” for Russia to host the forum.

“We aim to make sure the forum leads to practical solutions that keep the internet open and secure while taking into account the interests of all online stakeholders," the ministry added.

In June, Russian authorities met with a UN delegation, affirming their readiness to organize the forum in St. Petersburg, while Norway actively promoted its own candidacy for the 2025 IGF.

The UN did not provide an explanation for why Norway was chosen over Russia. UN Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua accepted Norway’s offer on behalf of the organization, according to the Norwegian government.

Since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s participation in global discussions, including those related to technology and the internet, has been restricted.

In 2022, the U.S. candidate for leading the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) defeated her Russian rival. Last year, the ITU officially recognized Russia as an aggressor nation undermining the organization’s activities.

Following Russia’s deliberate damage to telecommunications infrastructure in Ukraine, the ITU updated its resolution to highlight, for the first time, the adverse effects of the war on digital communication.

Earlier in October, Ukraine succeeded in blocking Russian candidates from obtaining senior roles in ITU research groups, with support from 40 countries, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Japan, France and Poland.

“Russia will only be able to observe research outcomes, without the ability to influence the definition of standards and the development of telecommunications technologies,” Ukraine’s digital ministry stated.“Blocking representatives from the aggressor nation in overseeing these processes helps reinforce international law and bolsters global telecommunications security.”

Russia is known for violating internet freedoms and is rated “not free” by Freedom House, a nonprofit promoting democratic values.

Over the past year, Russian authorities continued to block major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter, and imposed fines on other platforms that refused to remove content or localize user data, according to the organization’s report.

It is unclear if these factors influenced the UN’s decision, as last year’s IGF was hosted in Saudi Arabia, which is also rated “not free” and ranks close to Russia in Freedom House’s assessments.