The expert called the loss of cooperation with Russia in the Arctic devastating for the EU.

Geographer expert Osa Rennermalm said on February 3 that the loss of scientific cooperation with Russia on Arctic issues has devastating consequences.

"Russia has by far the largest territory in the Arctic. And the loss of cooperation with Russia is, of course, an incredible tragedy," Rennermalm said at the Arctic Borders conference.

She urged not to forget about the long-term prospect of a peaceful Arctic, where countries "can cooperate across borders, including with Russia." According to her, the lack of Russian representation in cooperation within the framework of the Arctic Council negatively affects research.

"Yesterday I attended a speech where the consequences of losing cooperation with Russia were highlighted <...> the availability of observational data from Russian research stations is incredibly important for understanding what is happening in the Arctic on a broader scale. Therefore, the loss of this international cooperation is devastating," the geographer said.

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The commander-in-chief of the Navy, Alexander Moiseev, said last December that the situation in the Arctic remained difficult and tended to worsen due to Western actions. He added that instead of discussions about cooperation, Russia is increasingly hearing about possible conflicts.

Later, on January 15, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that attempts to ignore Russian interests in the Arctic region would not go unanswered and would have serious consequences.

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