Russia’s two-year term as chair of the Arctic Council came to an end Thursday, leaving the future of the council’s role as a forum for international collaboration in doubt.
In a low-key virtual ceremony attended by senior bureaucrats, Russia ceded the chair to Norway, which will lead the council for the next two years.
The style of the ceremony marked a shift for the council. The transfer of the chair is an opportunity for grand declarations and photo ops, as the foreign ministers of the eight Arctic countries mingle with Indigenous representatives and powerhouse observers like China and Japan.
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