Jonas Gahr Støre recently told Dagbladet that he believes in a military solution to the Ukraine war, and that it can go in the invaded country’s favour.
Støre now tells Dagbladet that Norway is going to spend more money on the Armed Forces in the coming years.
– Now we will prepare for this summer’s NATO summit in light of the discussions about how much we spend on defence. I can say that we will spend more money on defense in the future, says the Prime Minister.
– We are very concerned about using the money correctly and the quality of what we do, he adds.
FOCUS ON DEFENSE: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Photo: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet
sea view
Promises support until the war is won
In 2014, Norway joined the NATO target of spending two percent of GNI on the military.
– It is something we have repeated in NATO’s strategic concept. This will certainly be a topic at the NATO summit in the summer, Støre continues.
He adds that necessarily spending two percent of the country’s total income each year is difficult for a country like Norway.
Gas and oil prices fluctuate, and thus AS Norge’s income does the same. Norway can be above two percent one year, but below the next – with just as much spending on defense in pure kroner and eur.
– I believe that we must recognize that Norway’s GNI fluctuates with energy income. We were at two percent a few years ago, now we are lower, but we will work towards that goal, promises Støre.
– Shall we get closer to the goal?
– Yes, answers Støre.
Shock measurement: Same size as Left and Red
The government proposed a defense budget for 2023 of around NOK 76 billion, which was an increase of almost NOK 7 billion from 2022. Now even more money is in store for the Armed Forces.
The Labor leader’s defense minister, Bjørn Arild Gram (Sp), recently told Dagbladet that Norway will support Ukraine until the war is won.
In 2022, Norway gave approximately NOK 10.7 billion in support to Ukraine and other countries in the region that were affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
