Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has opened up to the possibility of sending Norwegian soldiers to Ukraine, but only if a functioning ceasefire is in place. Any deployment of Norwegian troops also hinges on whether security guarantees for Ukraine are put into place.
The leaders of Norway and France, Jonas Gahr Støre (left) and Emmanuel Macron, as they headed into a summit of the countries willing to support Ukraine. PHOTO: Statsministerens kontor/Christian Liewig
“The most important thing here is the work on security guarantees for Ukraine,” Støre told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) while attending a summit in Paris of countries supporting Ukraine. Those guarantees can only come after a ceasefire is agreed to between Ukraine and Russia, which invaded its neighbour nearly four years ago.
Støre was prepared on Tuesday to confirm to allies meeting in Paris that Norway is willing to contribute to international forces set up in Ukraine when a “credible” ceasefire is in place. His office issued a statement that those attending the meeting agreed “that a future peace must be secured by security guarantees that European countries and the USA stand behind.”
French President Emmanuel Macron greeting Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre upon arrival for Tuesday’s summit in Paris. PHOTO: Statministerens kontor/Christian Liewig
Støre also told news bureau NTB that the Nordic and Baltic countries, all of which are members of NATO, will also take responsibility for building up a joint brigade within Ukraine. “I won’t rule out that the Norwegian military can also train Ukrainian military forces within Ukraine,” Støre said.
Norway, which already helps train Ukrainian soldiers at a military camp just over the border in Poland, is part of a coalition of 35 countries willing to support Ukraine. Leaders of 27 of those countries met in Paris on Tuesday with French President Emmanuel Macron as their host.
Also attending were the US’ special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, both of whom have been involved in negotiations on a halt to Russia’s war on Ukraine. The meeting was the result of several months of intense diplomacy and peace talks, but so far there’s been no agreement that both Ukraine and Russia will accept.
NewsinEnglish.no staff