For Europe, deterring Russia means investing more in NATO – Norway’s Chief of Defence

This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Norway’s Chief of Defence, Eirik Kristoffersen.

“So, first of all, the support for Ukraine is the main priority for European security, because the war in Ukraine also determines the future for Europe,” the Chief of Defence noted.

He added that, in his view, political leaders across the European continent share this conviction.

“Then, the next thing is, of course, to meet the requirements from NATO in accordance with the goals established at the Washington Summit, where every nation should spend 3.5 percent of their GDP on their defense forces and 1.5 percent on resilience. The good thing about this is that it also aligns with the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine. It's not only about the military capabilities. It's also about the society's total resilience,” Kristoffersen said.

He emphasized that Europe will become stronger if it clearly pursues defense-strengthening objectives within NATO.

“For me, the framework of NATO is the most important thing because there is no other framework where you have the command and control systems, infrastructure, and the processes you need to fight a larger-scale war than NATO. So to deter Russia means for Europe to invest more in NATO,” Kristoffersen stated.

As reported by Ukrinform, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said that the primary goal of security guarantees for Ukraine is to ensure that it never again becomes a victim of attack.

Rutte emphasized two main tasks: the urgent need for member states to increase defense spending and production, and ensuring that Ukraine remains as strong as possible in its struggle.

Photo: Facebook/Eirik Kristoffersen