US, Russia cooperate on Arctic issues
© RIA Novosti. Natalia Seliverstova

US, Russia cooperate on Arctic issues

The United States and Russia are closely cooperating in the framework of the Arctic Council, Vladimir Barbin, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large and Russia's senior delegate to the Arctic Council, said.

The United States holds the council's rotating presidency in 2015-2017. "The principle of the Arctic Council's work is based on consensus decision-making. All the council's member states are cooperation-oriented. The Arctic is noted for its low tensions in the relations between states compared with other parts of the world. We are cooperating closely there," Barbin said, RIA Novosti reported.

Established in 1996, the Arctic Council comprises eight countries: Canada, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.