The relevance of the article lies in the fact that the international activity of the cities of our country in the context of the escalating geopolitical confrontation, which has global and regional dimensions, is becoming increasingly important for the formation and implementation of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation. The city is becoming a real actor in modern international relations, often being able to defend its own interests by infl uencing the foreign policy of the state to meet local needs. Through its international activities, the city creates the image of the state in the world political arena, shows its reputation and solvency. In the course of the study, it was revealed that Russian cities, when building their international relations, act within the framework of federal legislation. By their activities, they confi rm their ability to be present in the international arena. Their activity is conditioned by the concentration of power structures, resources, fi nances, motivation and capabilities of governors and mayors. Basically, cities implement paradiplomatic and soft-power approaches to conducting their international relations, and in this regard, they develop relations with foreign partners in the fi eld of culture, education, etc. Thus, as a result, it can be stated that Moscow is a “global city” and a megacity in which key political and other structures, both national and international, are concentrated. Being the capital of the country, Moscow has suffi cient infl uence on the world community, conducts active international activities, and has the ability to infl uence the foreign policy course of the Russian Federation. Consequently, Moscow occupies a signifi cant place in the system of international relations.