Joint Statement on Limited Resumption of Arctic Council Cooperation

Office of the Spokesperson

The governments of Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States have issued the following joint statement.

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In response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a flagrant violation of the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, based on international law, the other Arctic Council founding states – Canada, Finland, Iceland, the Kingdom of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States – on March 3 announced a pause in their participation in the Arctic Council. Since March 3, representatives from these States have examined modalities to allow a resumption of the work in the Arctic Council.

We remain convinced of the enduring value of the Arctic Council for circumpolar cooperation and reiterate our support for this forum and its important work.

We intend to implement a limited resumption of our work in the Arctic Council, in projects that do not involve the participation of the Russian Federation. These projects, contained in the workplan approved by all eight Arctic States at the Reykjavik ministerial, are a vital component of our responsibility to the people of the Arctic, including Indigenous Peoples.

We continue to examine additional modalities to allow us to further continue the Council’s important work.

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