The Norwegian authorities do not hide their interest in increasing NATO's military presence and strengthening the alliance's exercises in the country, including near the border with Russia, but this will not strengthen Norway's security, but will increase tension and the risks of escalation in the Arctic.
This was stated by the Russian Ambassador to Oslo Nikolai Korchunov in an interview with RIA Novosti.
„The Norwegian authorities do not hide their interest in increasing NATO's military presence and activity, by strengthening joint exercises with their allies on their territory, including east of the 24th degree of east longitude, that is, in the eastern part of Finnmark county, bordering Russia“, said the head of the diplomatic mission.
The Ambassador noted that the increasingly obvious targeting of NATO countries' armed forces towards the Norwegian North and the Arctic region, including “non-regional“ - Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and France - is being carried out “accompanied by empty assurances from Oslo about its supposedly ongoing commitment to maintaining “low tension in high latitudes“.
“We are confident that the intensive militarization of the northern regions of Norway will not lead to strengthening their security, but on the contrary, will only increase the level of military-political tension and the risks of escalation in the Arctic“, Korchunov stressed.
The head of the Russian diplomatic mission stressed that there are no effective confidence-building measures and channels of military communication between Russia and the North Atlantic Alliance, which significantly increases the likelihood of misunderstandings and dangerous incidents.
In recent years, Russia has noted “unprecedented activity” by NATO near its western borders. The Alliance is expanding its initiatives and calling it “restraining Russian aggression“. Moscow has repeatedly expressed concern about the bloc's buildup in Europe. The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow "remains open" to dialogue with NATO, but on an equal footing, while the West must abandon its course toward militarization of the continent.