Anthony Blinken, American Secretary of State, has confirmed he will attend next month’s Arctic Council meeting in Reykjavík, according to RUV Iceland. His speech last night means that the foreign ministers of both Russia and the USA have now confirmed they will attend the meeting in person.

Russia takes over the two-year rotating presidency of the Arctic Council from Iceland at the meeting on 19th and 20th May. All Arctic Council member states and indigenous groups were invited to the meeting on the condition that they keep delegations small because of the pandemic.

Politicians coming to Iceland are subject to 'working quarantine' procedures. These are different to those for tourists or residents of the country. Blinken and Sergei Lavrov, as well as their delegations, will all be in the same working quarantine bubble and therefore free to hold meetings in person.