I certainly can. As I was saying in my opening remarks, I don't think this Arctic 7 versus Russia is helpful. I was actually very surprised that Canada would host the first Arctic chief of defence staff meeting this summer, having already met with Arctic allies without Russia, and including the Netherlands, France, Germany, and the U.K. in the Arctic security forces round table in Alaska. We don't want to entrench this A7 and others versus Russia. What we really want to do is encourage Russia.
I think the Arctic is going to be the issue area that is how we normalize, eventually, relations with Russia after it returns all annexed territory to Ukraine. So it's quite far off, but traditionally, coming out of the Cold War, the Arctic has been very special for Russia. It accounts for 20% of their GDP. They have the largest amount of land and maritime space there, and population. There are all sorts of reasons they want the Arctic to work for them.
We have to find other avenues for the Arctic 7 to discuss Arctic issues without making it into an Arctic 7 club, and work with the permanent participants. Let's not forget that we promised them that we would consult them, and time and time again we make decisions without them. It will be the scientists and the permanent participants who will be the leads in normalizing relations and encouraging Russia to return to what has been a more co-operative space.