Party leader Ine Eriksen Søreide says that the Conservatives (Høyre) stands fully and unequivocally behind the nuclear agreement that Støre signed in Paris on Wednesday. SV and the Red Cross are negative.

The agreement was signed at the Élysée Palace on Wednesday evening, with Macron, Støre, and the two defence ministers present. Macron and Støre then held a brief press session in which they each delivered statements.

– I wish to express how highly France values the bonds of friendship and trust that have united our two states for 120 years, and our nations and peoples for an even longer time, Macron said.

– Norway is today a valuable and indispensable partner for the collective security of Europeans and the French.

Støre describes the agreement as historic, and says that he believes Europe must assume greater security responsibility within NATO’s framework.

– This is not something we are establishing outside NATO. It is as NATO members that we are doing this. For many decades, this has been an issue — that Europe must assume greater responsibility. Now it comes to a head with Trump because he speaks as he does, Støre told NTB earlier on Wednesday.

Støre signals that the United States can no longer be trusted. But Trump has never said that. He demands that the Europeans pay more for their own defence.
Recently, countries such as Spain have refused American aircraft permission to use Spanish bases. Støre himself held a Nordic security meeting in Oslo with Canada’s Mark Carney present. Carney has challenged Trump’s leadership role. In other words, much is happening in geopolitics. Støre attempts to deny that he is doing something that has downsides, which it obviously does. The distance to Washington is growing.

Macron announced in March that France will increase its stockpile of nuclear warheads, and that the country will contribute further to deterrence in Europe through nuclear weapons. He also invited several other European countries into the cooperation.

– At a time when Europe is to assume more responsibility and be more relevant, this also applies in this area. But it does not replace the United States. We are very concerned about that, Støre told NTB aboard the aircraft to Paris.

Nine other countries have joined the initiative, including Sweden and Denmark.

Støre began the visit to Paris by meeting France’s Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Later he met President Macron.

– Historic misstep

Several parties and organisations are reacting strongly to the cooperation agreement. The Green Party (MDG) believes it is the wrong direction to take, while SV calls it a historic misstep.

– Norway should work for disarmament, not creep beneath a French nuclear umbrella. The government is making Norway more dependent on nuclear weapons at a time when the world needs fewer nuclear weapons, not more, says SV leader Kirsti Bergstø.

The Red Cross calls the agreement shocking and incomprehensible.

– Do we really understand what this entails? asks Secretary General Grete Herlofson.

– These are not defensive weapons. They represent an existential threat that we cannot control, says Herlofson.

The Conservatives are positive

The Conservatives, for their part, are positive:

– It means that we in Europe are doing more for our own security when more European countries participate in the French initiative. This initiative comes in addition to the United States’ nuclear umbrella, and it does not alter Norwegian nuclear policy either, says Conservative leader Ine Eriksen Søreide.

– Cooperation is always better than going it alone — and this agreement is an important step towards closer cooperation. At the same time, we also need a more rapid and stronger rearmament of the Norwegian armed forces. (NTB)