Norway takes control of the Arctic Council at an especially troubled time

Norway's chairmanship of the Arctic Council will be one of the most difficult in the entire existence of this international body. Thanks to the suspension of work by the Council with Russia over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, international control over Russia's actions in the Arctic has been reduced to a minimum. Numerous international projects and expeditions related to the study of the Russian part of the Arctic have also been frozen.

China's Arctic ambitions and Russian ties stoke NATO fears

Polar sea ice is melting at an unprecedented rate, potentially freeing up access to faster shipping routes and vast natural resources in the Arctic. China has its eyes on those lucrative opportunities through Russia.

'Sapere aude'