MOSCOW, April 17. /TASS/. The suspension of the Artic Council’s work adds to the risks in the sphere of security, Nikolay Korchunov, Russian Ambassador at Large and Chairman of the Committee of Senior Arctic Officials, told TASS on Sunday.

"The suspension of the activities of the Arctic Council will only add to the risks and challenges to ‘soft’ security in the Arctic the Council has been effectively coping with until today," he said, adding that military security topics are beyond the Arctic Council’s mandate.

"We are convinced that there are no problems in the Arctic that require military solutions. International norms clearly define the rights of both littoral and other states and serve as a solid basis for the resolution of any regional problems," he stressed.

The Russian diplomat recalled President Vladimir Putin’s statement that Moscow is considering the Arctic region not as a field for geopolitical games but "solely as a territory for dialogue, stability and constructive cooperation." He also added that despite the temporary freeze in the work of the Arctic Council, "all Western member nations continue to be committed to peace and stability in the Arctic."

All countries of the Arctic Council except Russia issued a written statement on March 3 refusing to take part in any Council meetings either chaired by Russia or taking place on its territory over the situation around Ukraine.

The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental organization of Arctic countries. Its members are Denmark (along with Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Iceland, Canada, Norway, the United States, Finland, Sweden, and Russia). In 2021, when the Council marked its 25th anniversary, the two-year presidency came over from Iceland to Russia.