Russia Prepared To Organize Summit Of Arctic Council - Senior Council Official

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th September, 2021) Russia is prepared to organize a summit of the Arctic Council if all members of the organization support this idea, Nikolai Korchunov, a senior official of the Arctic Council, told Sputnik.

"As the chair of the Arctic Council, Russia is prepared to organize a meeting like that if all its partners support the idea," Korchunov, who serves also as the ambassador-at-large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in May that Russia was ready to organize an Arctic Council summit during it chairmanship of the organization.

Member states take turns to hold a two-year chairmanship of the council. Russia became the chair on May 20.

The council, which was set up in 1996, brings together Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia,� Sweden, and the United States. The intergovernmental forum focuses on the environmental protection of the Arctic and addresses other aspects of the situation in the region.