Multilateralism in the Far North

In April 2015, chairmanship of the Arctic Council passed from Canada to the United States. Up until then, the Americans had played only a minor role in the Arctic. Now the Ukraine crisis threatens to undermine previously well-functioning international cooperation with Russia on Arctic matters. At the same time, given both the significant environmental challenges and the growing economic significance of the far north, multilateral cooperation in the region is more significant than ever.