Diplomacy: Arctic Council, divided Cyprus and the Asia summit

In February 2022, relations between Russia and Western countries were strained, but there is limited cooperation within the Arctic Council, which includes the USA, Canada, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Russia. The council addresses issues such as pollution, economic development, and rescue missions. In March of this year, Arctic countries conducted a virtual training exercise simulating an oil spill off the coast of northern Norway, with Russia participating in dispatching two ships and contributing to a report on radioactivity in the Arctic.

In Beijing, high-ranking diplomats from China and South Korea held their first direct talks in about six years. They discussed differences in approach to US policy regarding chip exports and North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, and also pledged to organise a trilateral summit with Japan, which has been suspended since 2019.

Ersin Tatar, the leader of the separatist Turkish Cypriots, believes there is no chance for an agreement with Greek Cypriots to alleviate the ethnic divisions in Cyprus that have been ongoing for several decades. Turkish Cypriots living in Northern Cyprus demand the same international recognition as the Republic of Cyprus.