Russia Not Seeking to Replace Arctic Council With Other Platforms
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia is not seeking to replace the Arctic Council with other platforms regardless of widespread phobias in the West, Vladislav Maslennikov, the chief of the Department of European Issues at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said on Friday. «I would like to note here that, despite the myths and phobias widespread in the West, at this stage Russia is not seeking to create any replacement for the Arctic Council or other multilateral mechanisms that would duplicate its functions,» Maslennikov told a briefing marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Arctic Council held at the Rossiya Segodnya media group’s multimedia press center. He added that replacing the council is unlikely, as it serves as the platform for talks between Arctic states and indigenous people residing in the region. In this regard, he expressed Russia’s readiness to share its unique Arctic experience and adopt useful practices from foreign colleagues.
"We mush acknowledge that on the eve of its 30th anniversary, the Arctic Council is approaching tomorrow’s round date in less than ideal shape. Perhaps it would be fair to say that we have been witnessing a midlife crisis in this organization since March 2022 due to the positions of Western members. The Council remains in a frozen state, and political dialogue has been suspended," Maslennikov said.
For the fifth consecutive year the council has been operating at very low capacity, the diplomat said, adding that Russia is making every effort to restore the organization’s operation, including at the political level.
WorldArctic Council Not Returning to Full-Scale Work Yet — Russian Foreign Ministry4 February, 09:31 GMT
