Norway premier says government will continue to invest in security
Norway’s prime minister says her administration will continue multi-year boosting of military spending and preparedness as part of NATO’s requirement for the members to increase defense expenditures.
“My government will continue to invest in security. This is the third consecutive year that we have increased the defense budget and we will continue to do so,” said Erna Solberg on Friday during an address before the Washington-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Norway still falls short of NATO’s required defense expenditure of two percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), but it does meet the requirement to invest 20 percent of its total defense budget on procurement of military hardware, Sputnik International reported Saturday, noting that Norway’s current conservative government has authorized the purchase of 22 US-built F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft, including the nuclear capable F-35A.
The development comes in light of NATO’s concerns over Russia, as Norway has been boosting its intelligence capabilities as well as commissioning new submarines and maritime patrol aircraft.
“We don’t believe they [Russians] are a threat to us directly,” Erna said. “But what we know is if something happens in the world, [the North Atlantic] is a strategically important area.”
Much of Russia’s sea-based nuclear deterrence equipment is located in the Arctic region near the border with Norway. Both countries maintain active intelligence and situational awareness in the region to improve predictability, according to the report.
Solberg traveled to Washington to take part in the US-Nordic Leaders Summit, which boasts the growing significance of Northern Europe and the Nordic region to American strategic interests in its growing rivalry with Russia over military presence and influence in the Baltic region.
Heads of states from Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland also took part in the summit.
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