– Seen from NATO’s headquarters in Brussels, the dynamics in the Nordic region will be completely different if Sweden and Finland become members of the defense alliance, which will mean that Norway’s position in NATO will probably change. That’s my main point.
It says Colonel Arvid Halvorsen to Dagbladet. He is head of the Staff College at the Norwegian Defense College. From 2016 to 2020, he worked as Section Commander and Adviser to the International Military Staff at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
– I want to emphasize that I believe that it is good for both NATO, Norway and the Nordic countries if Sweden and Finland are approved as members. At the same time, one must be aware that it can change the dynamics, says Halvorsen who first presented his view in a column published in Aftenposten.
UKRAINE: Friday, June 3, is 100 days since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 – 100 days marked by fear, death, pain and hope. Video: Reuters / AP / Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine / Telegram sea view
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NATO and the North
Halvorsen points out that Norway has marketed itself as NATO in the north. A number of times, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor Party) has repeated that Norway is NATO’s eyes in the north.
– But our border with Russia is short in relation to Finland and Russia’s common border. In addition, the Finns have a completely different history with Russia than Norway. In my eyes, this will mean that NATO will eventually go to Finland to acquire knowledge about Russia, not to Norway, says Halvorsen.
He adds that Norway will still be important in the maritime environment due to the long coastline.
– Sweden, on the other hand, has a completely different connection to Europe than Norway. Among other things, they have strong traditions as an industrial power, and historically they have in many ways been a great power in Europe. I experience Sweden as much more forward-looking than Norway as a result of their EU membership and links to the major institutions in Brussels.
– Overall, these factors can contribute to marginalizing Norway’s role in NATO. When NATO has looked north before – north of Denmark – they have looked to Norway. But in the future, there will probably be two other countries they also see.
BOMBED NORWEGIAN ARTILLER TRUCK: The Russian military claims they have bombed and destroyed a Norwegian artillery vehicle in Ukraine. Video: AP / TV Zvezda. Reporter: Vegard Krüger sea view
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Warning
Finland and Sweden recently applied for membership in NATO. This process was launched in full force by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Despite the fact that Turkey has expressed concern about the application process, it is expected that the applications will be granted quickly.
Colonel Halvorsen has a warning to politicians.
– I am worried that someone will look at the possibilities of saving money on defense cooperation if Sweden and Finland become members of NATO, for example by advocating a solution where the countries are given responsibility for their respective military areas, Halvorsen says.
In particular, he refers to Liberal Party leader Guri Melby’s article in VGwhere she writes about an integrated Nordic defense with shared capabilities.
– I experience that this will be a development in the wrong direction. Norway should rather strengthen its own defense at the same time as we look at the possibilities of utilizing and further developing the benefits of co-operation in the Nordic region. In short, we must try to get one plus one plus one to become more than three.
He further explains why he believes it is important for Norway to strengthen its own defense.
– It is not always wise to rely on aid from other countries that handle crises in parallel. We have learned such lessons during the pandemic. We know that the interests of Norway, Sweden and Finland will not always be the same. For example, different decisions have been made about EU membership, says Halvorsen.
SHARE VIDEO: Ukrainian brigade has published this video which they claim shows a Russian helicopter being shot down by a shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile. Reporter: Vegard Krüger sea view
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Halvorsen thinks he is wrong
Liberal leader Guri Melby tells Dagbladet that she believes that Halvorsen is wrong.
– I think that Halvorsen raises several real challenges with Nordic defense co-operation, but I think he is wrong when he says that the pandemic and Ukraine have shown us that we can only count on what we have national control over. Both the EU’s vaccine cooperation and Western arms deliveries are proof of that, Melby tells Dagbladet and continues:
– In addition, I think that the story works against Halvorsen’s argument. The technological development in the field of defense is such that it will become increasingly impossible for European nation states to have all the capabilities they need themselves. Then we must think more broadly, and the Nordic region is, after all, the group of countries closest to us.
