Norway’s PM says Russia build-up
is `a sign of weakness’
Norway's Prime
Minister Jonas Gahr Store speaks during a press conference with Chancellor Olaf
Scholz in Berlin, Wednesday Jan. 19, 2022. (Kay Nietfeld/Pool via AP)
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Norway’s
prime minister, whose country borders Russia and is a founding member of NATO,
said Wednesday he believes it’s “a sign of weakness” that President Vladimir
Putin has to express Moscow’s political views by an “extraordinary” military
buildup.
Jonas Gahr Støre said in an
interview with The Associated Press that he calls it a sign of weakness because
it’s at the negotiating table where issues that matter to people should be
discussed, not by “that kind of military demonstration,” and by pursuing
Russia’s interests where “the weapons will speak.”
He said he thinks Putin’s demand
now for guarantees — including that NATO will never admit neighboring Ukraine
and other ex-Soviet nations as members — is a result of the loss of post-Cold
War communications channels and dialogue that led to differences being settled
through negotiations following after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine’s Crimean
Peninsula in 2014.
“So there have been more kind of animosity and destructive relations among
countries that need to engage,” Støre said.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied
it is planning to invade neighboring Ukraine, but the U.S. and its NATO allies
are worried about Russia deploying an estimated 100,000 troops near Ukraine and
launching a series of sweeping military maneuvers. The Norwegian prime minister
said his country sees this buildup with part of Russia’s Northern Fleet
“sailing along our coast.”
“Politically, for me, it is a sign
of weakness in a way that you have to express your views and your interest by
that kind of military demonstration, because it is at the table when you deal
with the issues that matter to people,” Støre said.
Russia warned Wednesday it would
quickly take “retaliatory measures” if the U.S. and its allies reject its
security demands, which also include that NATO will roll back troop deployments
in other former Soviet bloc nations. Some demands, like pledging never to admit
Ukraine, are nonstarters for NATO, creating a seemingly intractable stalemate
that many fear can only end in a war.
Asked what he thinks Putin’s “game
plan” is, Støre replied, “he wants to leave us guessing.”
The Norwegian prime minister
stressed that Europe in the 21st century doesn’t solve political issues by a
single nation, and the Russian guessing game indicates that “we should be firm,
predictable and clear on principles.”
While Ukraine is not a NATO member
and therefore does not come under its collective defense umbrella, Støre said,
“Europe and the West should be very clear that if there is infringement on the
border of a modern state in Europe these days there will be reactions.”
Europe and the West should be and
are pursuing negotiations, he said, pointing to the U.S. and NATO dialogues
with Russia .
And there are “ample opportunities” to pursue confidence-building and
disarmament measures and other procedures to provide security for countries
living next to each other “without going down that terrible path of war,” Støre
said. His country holds the U.N. Security Council presidency this month and he
presided at its meeting Tuesday and Wednesday.
While Norway is “a very loyal and
active partner in NATO,” the prime minister said it has been at peace with
neighboring Russia for 1,000 years and has a relationship with Moscow to
maintain this peaceful relationship, which is a key priority of Norwegian
foreign policy.
There have been reports that
Norway’s Nordic neighbors, Sweden and Finland, which are not NATO members, may
be interested in joining the alliance.
“Let that be their free choice,”
Støre said. “Nobody else can come from outside and dictate their choice.”
“I don’t see today that
enlargement of NATO is on the agenda of NATO,” the Norwegian minister said, but
it should treat the rising aspirations of democratic states “in a decent
fashion.”
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