From Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine to the handover of the Norwegian chairship of the Arctic Council, concerns have arisen regarding the Council’s ability to weather this emerging geopolitical challenge. This article provides a chronological overview of the events within and outside the Council from 24 February 2022, until the chairship transition on 11 May 2023. Additionally, the article analyses the legal and political framework that has sustained the Arctic Council until now. Multiple factors have contributed to the Arctic Council’s ability still to be considered relevant: its role as a knowledge producer and facilitator, its strategic significance as a multilateral platform for cooperation, and the inclusion of non-state actors and indigenous peoples in decision-shaping processes. In addition to its incentivising individual states to demonstrate their commitment to Arctic governance when addressing climate and environmental issues in the north beyond the constraints of bilateral relations. By examining these incentives and contextualising the recent developments within the Arctic Council, this paper examines the chairship transition between Russia and Norway and discusses how and why the Arctic Council survived during this time.