Norway prepares for Russian handoff, Arctic Council faces pressure.

Norway plans to prioritize a smooth transition with Russia as it prepares to assume the chair of the Moscow-helmed Arctic Council on May 11, but will not commit to restarting stalled cooperation given the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Arctic Council comprises the eight Arctic states of Russia, the United States, Canada, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Denmark. The other seven Arctic nations paused cooperation with Moscow when Russia invaded Ukraine, putting about a third of the Council's 130 projects on hold because they had direct Russian involvement.