The U.K. and Norway began negotiations Thursday on a defense deal aimed at countering the threat from Russia in the Arctic.
British Defense Secretary John Healey met his Norwegian counterpart Tore Sandvik at the Norwegian Joint Headquarters, a fortress tunneled deep into the side of a mountain near the northern town of Bodø just above the Arctic Circle.
The defense agreement will see closer working between the two nations’ armed forces, including protecting undersea cables from sabotage. Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, ships traveling to or from Russian ports have been suspected of severing key European infrastructure links — whether by accident or sabotage — particularly in the Baltic Sea.
Healey said: “Norway remains one of the U.K.’s most important allies. We will create a new era of defense partnership to bring us closer than ever before as we tackle increasing threats, strengthen NATO, and boost our security in the High North.
“The U.K. is determined to play a leadership role on European security, supporting the foundations for our security and prosperity at home and showing our adversaries that we are united in our determination to protect our interests.”
The defense secretary’s comments come as tensions between the U.S. and Europe over Ukrainian peace negotiations escalate. U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Russia “have the cards” in talks and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” for not holding elections in wartime.
The U.S. has also argued European NATO members must spend more on defense, with the U.K. working toward allocating 2.5 percent of GDP to its military capabilities. Healey said Tuesday the British Ministry of Defense would undergo its “biggest defense shake up in 50 years” to ensure it was ready for war.
When meeting Norwegian troops patrolling the border with Russia Wednesday, Healey said he was “really interested” they had conscription, which isn’t the case in the U.K.
Healey’s visit followed a Russian spy ship entering U.K. waters in January and last November. The defense secretary told parliament last month the vessel was “used for gathering intelligence and mapping the U.K.’s critical underwater infrastructure” before it sailed through to the North Sea.
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