"The most important thing for us is to preserve the Arctic Council. If we do not have the Arctic Council, there is no organization for multilateral cooperation in this part of the world, says Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt to SVT.
Russian interests
Contacts with the Russians in the Arctic Council have been scarce since the outbreak of war last year, and Russia continues to have a high level of activity in the Arctic. On the Kola Peninsula there is the Russian Northern Fleet, which is where they have their nuclear submarines. According to Katarzyna Zyk, professor at the Norwegian Defence University and specialist on Russia in the Arctic, it is interesting that despite the war in Ukraine, Russia continues to prioritize the Arctic.
"What is surprising is that the Arctic has not become less important. Despite the Ukraine war and despite economic problems in the country, she says. Strong statements have been made about the Arctic and it looks like Moscow has continued to focus on the Arctic, she continues.
Arctic Council may disappear
The Norwegian Foreign Ministry fears that the Arctic Council may split and that other interests may take hold in the region. There is a strong appeal in favour of cross-border cooperation in this region, and Anniken Huitfeldt believes that preserving the Arctic Council is one of the Presidency's priorities.
"If this type of multilateral cooperation does not exist, other organizations may come in to take over that role and we get actors that we do not want to have that role," she told SVT.
She believes that there may be other countries that want more presence in the region and that Russia wants to invite. When asked if it is China she means, she answers:
"There may be many countries that have an interest in cooperating with Russia in the region and that we believe have no real interest in it.