Vladimir Putin, Ukraine | We do not risk seeing Russian soldier boots in Bodø, but our relationship with Russia will change

(Avisa Nordland)

In this sense, what happened on Thursday night concerns us more than most other countries.

This does not mean that we risk seeing Russian soldiers’ boots trampling through the streets of Kirkenes or Bodø.

But the invasion of Ukraine will have to change the relationship between Norway and Russia in a fundamental and permanent way.

It is not least serious for the northernmost part of Norway. Nowhere are the ties stronger, both institutionally and between most people.

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Nordland County started this collaboration very early and has had close contact with Leningrad County since the 1990s.

One of the key players in this collaboration is Nord University, which over the years has had thousands of Russian students.

Several municipalities in Salten have also acquired twin cities in Russia.

The Norwegian-Russian fisheries co-operation is still strong, as is the co-operation on search and rescue in the High North, with the Main Running Center in Bodø at the forefront.

The Armed Forces’ Operational Headquarters at Reitan also has a relatively close contact with the Northern Fleet’s leadership, an important factor in avoiding military misunderstandings in the north.

All this is now put into play, and let there be no doubt as to who is responsible for it.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is totally unprovoked. It is a gross violation of international law, and can in no way be justified by blaming NATO’s enlargement to the east.

NATO enlargement is due to the fact that a large, democratic majority of people in countries that were obedient to the Soviet Union sought protection from precisely what Ukraine is now exposed to.

For example, let us imagine that the three Baltic countries were not members of NATO or the EU. The chances are very high that they would then have been exposed to the same pressure as Ukraine to let Russia control their foreign policy and decide who should govern the country.

With a threat of invasion in the long run.

Those in the West who claim that these countries were almost pushed into NATO by the United States are useful idiots for a Russian propaganda lie.

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It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. Is it only to take control of the eastern parts of the country, or is he aiming for a regime change in Kyiv.

It is impossible to say, but his extremely violent rhetoric, in which Ukraine is portrayed as an illegitimate nation, may indicate the latter.

The consequences of the invasion for Russia could also be as large – or small – in a total as a partial occupation.

The West’s problem is that the sanctions that were introduced after the Crimea have not worked, as the invasion is the best proof of that.

Nevertheless, there are several sanctions that are the answer this time as well. No country has the guts to get involved militarily on Ukraine’s side.

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When Putin threatens to use nuclear weapons, if that happens, it is therefore an empty threat. Not because he is not cynical enough to follow it up, but because NATO and the West will never go to war for Ukraine.

Thus, the sanctions remain, but they have probably already included Putin in the calculation that led to the invasion.

Sanctions will still come, and should come. Primarily in the absence of other forms of reaction.

This will make it even more difficult to continue the good cooperation between Norway and Russia across the border in the north.

Many will probably also think that this collaboration should end. It is easy to understand; Today Russia is a bandit state, ruled by a kleptomaniac dictator and mass murderer.

But no one, not even the people of Ukraine, has anything to gain from the fact that the danger of war is also increasing in the High North.

This does not mean that Norway should be evasive towards Russia in the north; exercise Cold Respons will of course go as planned and our defense in the north must be further strengthened.

But Russia is a great power with different interests in different parts of the world; yes, one can in a way say that the country has 14 different foreign policies distributed among the 14 countries it borders.

In the High North, it is both a stated policy and a practical policy to keep military low voltage. There is little indication that it has changed from the events of the last few days.

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Norway is the only one of the 14 neighboring countries that Russia has never been at war with or occupied. There is no reason for the invasion of Ukraine to change that.

This does not mean that Norway should be softer in its reaction to Russia than other countries are, but it does mean that in parallel with the sanctions, the communication channels should be kept open.

They should be used to give a clear message about what we think about the invasion, but they should also be used to maintain the low voltage in the north.

Not by being lenient, but to prevent misunderstandings. As we have managed through both a long cold war, and the brutal dictatorship of recent decades just across the border.

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