Russia says Arctic Council’s decisions taken without Moscow's engagement would be illegal

As the ongoing war in Eastern Europe continues to escalate unabated, the Russian ambassador to the United States stated that the decisions made by the Arctic Council without the involvement of Moscow would be considered illegitimate and in violation of the consensus principle. Ambassador Anatoly Antonov made these remarks while commenting on a joint statement of western participants of the Arctic Council on the limited resumption of its activities without Russia's participation. "Such a step cannot but give cause for concern to both Russia as its current chair and of the whole international community interested in the further sustainable development of the region," he stated on Telegram, the TASS news agency reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, June 8, the Arctic Council decided to commence the work of the forum without the participation of Russia. Amid the prevailing situation in Ukraine, the members of the Arctic Council issued a written declaration in March, refusing to participate in meetings hosted by Russia and taking place on its territory. "We state that this unique format of cooperation between states is still being politicized. The decisions on behalf of the Arctic Council taken without consulting Russia will be illegal and they violate the consensus principle stipulated by its guideline documents," the Russian diplomat explained. 

It's impossible to solve Arctic's challenges effectively without Moscow: Russian diplomat

Russian ambassador Antonov further stated that it is almost impossible to resolve the Arctic's challenges effectively without the presence of Russia. Earlier in the month of May, Nikolai Korchunov, a senior Russian official in the Arctic Council, warned against North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) expansion in the Nordic countries. He stated that the entry of Sweden and Finland into the intergovernmental military alliance would lead to certain "adjustments" in Arctic cooperation. 

About the Arctic Council

The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum of Arctic states, comprising the United States, Russia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland. The two-year presidency passed from Iceland to Russia in 2021, when the Council celebrated its 25th anniversary. The primary goal of the organization is to address issues faced by the Arctic governments and the indigenous people of the Arctic nations. The eight Arctic countries signed the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (AEPS) in 1991, which was the first step towards the founding of the Council.

Image: AP