Russia, Sweden, and Germany are enhancing their scientific cooperation, particularly in the exploitation of modern X-ray and neutron facilities for the design of advanced materials. The three countries are striving to become an international powerhouse in the use of advanced X-ray and Neutron Facilities in materials science. With upcoming facilities including the European XFEL in Hamburg, the ESS and MAX-IV in Lund as well as the upgraded neutron reactor PIK in St. Petersburg, the Baltic region will significantly strengthen its analytical research capabilities over the next decade. Two strategic cooperation platforms have been launched with strong support by national funding agencies, the Röntgen-Angstrom Cluster (RAC) between Germany and Sweden and the Ioffe-Röntgen-Institute (IRI) between Germany and the Russian Federation.