Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Labour Party) maintains that Norway is not taking an active part in the war in Ukraine, and that Norwegian diplomacy is still functioning as it should.
Barth Eide claims that Russia understands this.
– We are, of course, much more involved on behalf of Ukraine than President Putin would like. But I know that they are familiar with the legal aspects of this and realise that we are not taking an active part in the war,” Barth Eide told Klassekampen.
The Russian Embassy in Oslo, however, takes a different view. In a letter to Nettavisen, it describes Norway as deeply involved in the conflict on Ukraine’s side. Barth Eide himself has said that Russia must not gain anything from the war, because that sends entirely the wrong military signal. Norway is sending tens of billions to Ukraine to support the country in its fight against Russia.
Barth Eide also says that Norway is not a negotiator. Nevertheless, it was Oslo that hosted the talks between the US and Ukraine on Tuesday, with Jonas Gahr Støre and the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, acting as hosts. The following day, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff flew to St Petersburg to meet Putin. Støre now says that the parties have agreed on a new meeting with Russia in mid-November.
Barth Eide also believes that Norwegian diplomacy is functioning as it should.
“I do believe that Norwegian diplomacy functions every single day, even though it has suffered a dent in its reputation following the Epstein revelations,” he says.
In February, Barth Eide stated that Ambassador Mona Juul’s contact with Jeffrey Epstein demonstrated a serious lapse in judgement. Juul was relieved of her duties on 2 February and resigned as ambassador a few days later. She is married to Terje Rød-Larsen, who is under investigation by Økokrim. They are also investigating Thorbjørn Jagland for serious corruption, whilst Børge Brende has admitted that he lied about his contact with Epstein.
