Denmark, Iceland, Canada, Norway, the United States, Finland and Sweden issued a statement on resuming the work of the Arctic Council without Russia.

The statement reads, in part: “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 work-plan approved by Arctic States at the Reykjavik ministerial, are a vital component of our responsibility to the people of the Arctic, including Indigenous Peoples. 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.”

On March 3, all Arctic Council member countries, except Russia, issued a written statement voicing their refusal to take part in meetings chaired by Russia and those on Russian territory.