Russia will resume paying contributions to the budget of the Arctic Council (AС) if the organization's full-fledged work is restored, said Vladislav Maslennikov, director of the Department of European Affairs at the Russian Foreign Ministry and a senior Russian official at the AС.
"We are not giving up our financial obligations, but unfortunately, we do not see any way to resolve the current situation. First of all, it is necessary to restore the full functionality of the Council, which primarily involves the resumption of meetings of the Committee of senior officials," the diplomat told Izvestia.
The Committee of senior officials is the main coordinating body of the AC, which provides policy and strategic guidance for its work between ministerial sessions.
Moscow stopped transferring contributions to the organization's budget in February 2024. Against the background of the conflict in Ukraine, the council's activities have been largely paralyzed since March 2022. Russian officials did not rule out that the government would withdraw from the AC altogether if its activities ceased to meet its interests.
The organization is currently chaired by Denmark, whose authorities are making efforts to restore the organization's full-fledged activities and are engaged in a close dialogue with all member countries, including Russia.
The Arctic Council is a unique format that unites not only Arctic but also non-Arctic states, as well as representatives of the indigenous peoples of the North and NGOs.
Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau, Rough&Polished
